No one believed their relationship would last long, but the doubters were proven wrong. Together, they raised two daughters, Tracey and Tammy. The couple lived in the Malibu mountains together with their kids – and lions, wolves and eagles.

In 1984, Dan and Diane divorced.

That same year, Haggerty found love again and married Samantha Hilton. Their union resulted in two sons, Dylan and Cody, and a daughter, Megan.

The couple remained happily married until tragedy struck the family. During a motorcycle ride in 2008, Samantha Hilton crashed with a deer.

Samantha was on her way home from a dinner and was not wearing a helmet, according to the Globe. The accident was described as a freak accident, and the then 53-year-old Samantha was airlifted to the hospital.

Unfortunately, there was nothing the doctors could do. Dan Haggerty learned about the accident while he was out playing golf in Florida. His pregnant daughter called and told him the terrible news, and Haggerty flew home immediately to be by his wife’s side. Sadly, Samantha suffered severe brain damage, and the doctors told Haggerty that she was gone.

He had to pull the plug; there was nothing more to be done.

”It was the hardest, most heartbreaking decision I’ve ever had to make, to tell the doctors to let my beautiful Sam slip away into her long sleep. I wept like a child.”