Karen’s mom Agnes wouldn’t allow her to call off the wedding, arguing that it had already been paid for. It shouldn’t have mattered with her success. But when she found out that her new husband was broke and enjoyed living lavishly off of her riches, she began considering divorce.
Tom would withdraw $50,000 at a time, draining her cash account. He treated her cruelly on top of it all. He called her a “bag of bones” and said she would never have his child. She came to her senses and divorced him the following year.
The Stress of Fame Plagued Richard Too
While the world focused on Karen and the strange new disease she was diagnosed with, no one witnessed Richard’s struggles. He kept his addiction well hidden. The 1971 tour wore him down. He eased the stress with a prescription of Quaaludes.
Gradually upping his dose, the habit became a major addiction. Richard abruptly quit touring on September 4, 1978, and refused to show for a UK TV appearance. Rumors about the duo splitting and him abandoning Karen swirled while he hid from the limelight.
Karen Marries Real Estate Developer Thomas James Burris
After dating famous men like Mike Curb, Tony Danza, Terry Ellis, Mark Harmon, Steve Martin, and Alan Osmond, Karen settled down with Tom Burris. The two lovebirds were engaged after dating just two months. They tied the knot on August 31, 1980.
It wasn’t until they were nearly wed that she discovered Burris could not have kids due to a vasectomy. Karen dreamed about marrying and having children. His condition shattered her lifelong dream. She almost called off the marriage, and in retrospect, perhaps she should have.
Losing Weight was Always on Her Mind
Cutting back on food was only one approach Karen would use to lose unwanted pounds. She discovered that certain pills caused weight loss by raising metabolism, and others by different means. She took 80 to 90 laxative tablets in one night. She found thyroid medication could speed up her metabolism, so she took those in excess.
The pills overtaxed her organs. Around that time, Karen began seeing psychotherapist Steven Levenkron, who treated her for anorexia. Levenkron specialized in treating eating disorders.
Finding Help for Karen
Karen’s psychologist tried reaching out to her family to gain support for his patient. His message was simple. He asked them to tell Karen they loved her. Agnes bristled at his advice. Then she reprimanded the clinician for addressing her by her first name. She ended the conversation by informing him that’s not the way they do things in their family.
Years earlier, Sherwin Bash tried approaching Agnes. He was very concerned about Karen, but Agnes dismissed his inquiry. She told him it was a family matter. She also rejected the idea that her skinny daughter needed a psychologist, believing they are only for crazy people.