One of the quickest routes to fame and celebrity status is achieved through marriage, which most of the time is considered either a success or a scandal – the latter also serving as a propeller to the popularity of the less popular spouse . The above statement holds true for the late Larry Fortensky, who rose to prominence somewhere in the middle of the above two extremes. He was notably the seventh and last husband of British and American-born actress, businesswoman and humanitarian Elizabeth Taylor, whose myriad marriages have attracted much media attention.
Although Larry is no more, the account of the events of his life, what caused them and what resulted from them will always be an interesting piece to read at any time. How about telling you this story fairly, including his death and his cause? Read on to get the details.
Bio – Who was Larry Fortensky?
On January 17, 1952, Larry Fortensky was Born in Stanton, California (United States of America), he was the eldest of seven children born to his working-class parents – Harold ‘Pete’ Fortensky and Dorothy Fortensky.
As a young child, his parents enrolled him at Pacifica High School located in Garden Grove, California, where he studied until his 10th grade before retiring. Subsequently, Larry enlisted and was drafted into the US Army in 1972, but three months later he was discharged. After leaving the army, he returned home and started working as a carpenter to make ends meet.
Around the same time, Larry Fortensky got married to his first wife Priscilla Joan Torres with whom he had an unmarried daughter named Julie Fortensky. Two years after their marriage, the couple separated in 1974. Over the years, exactly two years later, Larry married Karin McNeal for the second time, but in 1984 he stopped doing so with his second marriage in 1984 .
From then on, the rest of his life was mainly characterized by his problems with alcohol and drug addiction. In 1987 he was arrested by police after being discovered in a parking lot in San Clemente, California. Fortensky who was totally screwed up also had marijuana in his possession. He was charged for it and later admitted that he really had a drinking problem. It then happened that, while seeking help in a rehabilitation center, he met Elizabeth Taylor, to whom he immediately felt a passionate attraction, which was also mutual. The rest of the events in their lives are what changed the life of Fortensky, who was then known as a construction worker, and husband of the TV star.
Elizabeth Taylor’s ex-husband – Everything you need to know about them
1. First meeting
It’s not often that people meet their life partners at rehab centers, but in the case of Larry Fortensky and Elizabeth Taylor, it’s right on the grounds of the Betty Ford Center residential treatment center in Rancho Mirage, in California, that the seed of their love germinated. While Larry was in rehab for his alcohol issues, Elizabeth, on the other hand, was there to sort out his issues with the pills.
2. Relationship and age difference
The duo quickly began a relationship which was fueled with fervor by the deep admiration they had for each other. However, although everything that separated them felt right, when and after they left the rehab center, their public display of affection soon began to attract attention, mainly because of the two-decade gap that separated them. . Taylor was a beautiful 56-year-old lady at the time, while Fortensky was still bubbling at 36.
3. Lavish Wedding Ceremony
Despite the age difference, the pair grew stronger in their relationship and on October 6, 1991, they walked down the aisle as husband and wife at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara County, California. Celebrities such as Eddie Murphy, Michael Jackson, George Hamilton, Macaulay Culkin, Franco Zeffirelli and around 160 other guests attended the ceremony. The nuptials would have cost between 1.5 and 2 million dollars.
4. Marriage contract
Although it seemed like it was love and absolutelyIt was just love that made Fortensky and Taylor say ‘I’m doing’ to each other, it seems marriage had something more for Larry Fortensky . He signed a prenup with the actress that promised him a million dollars if he stayed married to Taylor for five years. They had been married for 5 years and a month.
5.divorce
After 61 months of marriage, Fortensky settled on October 31, 1996, his sister, Linda Untiet, revealed that her brother no longer wanted to be seen as “Mr. Elizabeth Taylor. Despite their divorce, they remained good friends thereafter.
The death of Larry Fortensky
On January 29, 1999, Fortensky fell from a flight of stairs at his home in San Juan Capistrano, California. He was reportedly mourning the death of a dear pet at the time. Following the fall, Larry was in a coma for six weeks, and after waking up he remained in hospital for two months before being released. He suffered short-term memory loss until his death on July 7, 2016, from complications from surgery for skin cancer.