“Little House on the Prairie” actress Alison Arngrim revealed that a relative took advantage of her for three years starting at age six

Nellie Oleson in “Little House on the Prairie” was portrayed by Alison Arngrim. She appeared in 104 episodes of the fan-favorite series, and despite not being a member of the famed Ingalls family, Oleson became a signature star.

Arngrim’s 1970s part was based on three characters from the original book series; she was 12 at the time. The actor performed so brilliantly in the part that she received a coveted award.

She received the Young Artist Award for Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement. Karen Grassle (Caroline Ingalls) once observed that Arngrim began to shine as a teenager, adding:

“She dressed beautifully in campy 1950s clothing and bought a quirky 1950s automobile when she could drive.”

Grassle also mentioned how her former co-star had acting ability much above her years and was improving with each scene! Even though she was young at the time, the actress in the show had an infectious charm.

However, her personal life was bleak, as she admitted to having been ab*sed as a youngster. Arngrim said on an “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” segment that a relative took advantage of her for three years, beginning at the age of six.

The actress initially spoke out about the event in her early twenties and subsequently began counseling. Because she was so young when the abuse began, the actress did not report it because she did not comprehend what was happening to her.

She refused to be a victim when she was old enough to comprehend, and the abuse ceased. Arngrim’s “Little House” co-stars were likewise unaware of her “terrible” agony, and the actress battled even more to conceal the secret. She was curious if others could know what was going on just by looking at her.

In her book “Confessions of a Prairie [expletive],” the actress wrote cathartically about her harrowing experience. When asked what inspired the book, she explained that whenever she related the strange incidents that happened in her life, people would often ask when she would publish one.

Even before she debuted in “Little House,” people were attracted by her history. Their curiosity included wanting to know what happened behind the scenes of the show and afterward. It all started with a Q&A in New York and a one-woman show, and then her expanded version of her narrative became a book.

Fans were also curious about the show’s cast members, while others were intrigued by her friendship with Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls). Arngrim also talked frankly about her abuse, although it wasn’t the major emphasis.

People were startled when the singer ended up on the Safeguard Board, the National Association to Protect Children, where she changed policies to better protect children.

Arngrim’s childhood tragedy did not prevent her from pursuing happiness and becoming a mother. When she married her second husband, a musician, she became a stepmother.

Her first marriage, to Donald Spencer, lasted from 1989 until their divorce in 1993. That same year, she married Robert Schoonover, whose Facebook account said that they lived in Los Angeles, California.

Robert’s biography also said that he was born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and went to college at The University of Akron. Although his wife occasionally appeared in public, she tried to avoid the spotlight whenever possible.

Arngrim, 60 in 2022, became despondent about a year after finishing “Little House” due to childhood trauma. The celebrity elected not to take medicine and instead began intense counseling.

The more confident and strong she became, the more she sought opportunities to assist others. After Steve Tracy, her on-screen husband, and Percival Dalton on “Little House on the Prairie,” died of AIDS in 1986, she became an AIDS activist.

In 2019, she served as PROTECT’s president, worked on legislative campaigns in many states, affected federal legislation, and spoke before the California State Senate.

Despite her traumatic beginnings, the actress [Alison Arngrim] had found a meaningful existence.

Her friendship with Tracy altered her life permanently, and she enrolled in the Los Angeles AIDS Project hotline training program to learn everything she could. The actress discussed HIV and continues to work with APLA today.

She formerly worked at an AIDS research fundraiser and toured the original historic places in Walnut Grove. Her book was published in 2010, and she also began performing popular stand-up comedy.

Arngrim remained dedicated to doing good and helping lives, even if she wasn’t in the spotlight as often as she used to be. She works with groups like A Minor Consideration and the National Association to Protect Children.

The actress was also active with The Body, AIDS Project Los Angeles, and AIDS Info, as well as with CDC Info and the AIDS National Hotline, which could be reached at 1-800-232-4636.

Arngrim kept her personal life quiet, although based on her husband’s tweets, they seemed to appreciate cats and cooking. Despite her traumatic beginnings, the actress had found a wonderful existence.