Post-acting Life
The death of her long-time friend Elisabeth Brooks from cancer in 1997 was a great blow to McNichol, who had a near-death experience herself while scuba-diving in Hawaii in 1992.
In March 1999, McNichol was the subject of an episodes of E! True Hollywood Story, in which she spoke candidly about her career, alleged drug problems, and her mental health problems. In June 2001 she stated:
"A lot of people have wondered what I've been up to. I retired from my career after 24 years. My feeling was that it was time to play my biggest part – MYSELF! I must say that it has been the best thing that ever happened to me. So many fans are disappointed that I'm not currently acting, however some may not realize that the process I'm in at this time is necessary and vital for my personal happiness and well-being."
McNichol resides in Los Angeles, California. Since retiring from the screen, she has taught acting at a private school in Los Angeles and devoted much of her time to charity work.
On January 6, 2012, McNichol came out as a lesbian, and announced she was living with her partner Martie Allen and had been for 20 years. She stated she chose to come out now, some 20 years after leaving acting, to help young LGBT people dealing with bullying.
Read more about this topic: Kristy McNichol
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“We have got to know what both life and death are, before we can begin to live after our own fashion. Let us be learning our a-b- c’s as soon as possible.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)