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Once married to a Hollywood star and a familiar face on fitness magazine covers, Loni Willison appeared to be living a perfect life. From the outside, she had beauty, success, and fame.
But the reality behind the photographs was very different. Today, the former model, now 40, is homeless and living on the streets of Los Angeles, collecting cans to survive, according to The Sun.
Shocking new photos published this week show Willison dragging a large cart filled with her belongings. She appears unrecognizable from her former glamorous image—her eye swollen and red, a cigarette in her mouth, and several missing teeth.
Loni, who once had bright blonde hair and a successful modeling career, has been homeless for several years. She has previously been seen searching through trash bins for food. Her downward spiral followed a turbulent divorce from Baywatch actor Jeremy Jackson nine years ago, after which she struggled with drug and alcohol abuse.
The images highlight the model’s rapid and tragic fall after losing both her job and her home, as well as her repeated rejection of offers of help.
At one point, Willison heartbreakingly admitted that she deliberately makes herself look as dirty as possible to avoid sexual abuse while living on the streets.
Two years ago, she told The Sun:
“I can live on my own. I have everything I need right here. Nobody really cares about me, and I don’t want to see them. They don’t want to see me.”
A Hollywood Love Story That Fell Apart
When Loni and Jeremy Jackson married on a beach in California in 2012, dressed in white and accompanied by their white dog, they appeared to be the perfect Hollywood couple. Jackson, now 42, rose to fame as Hobie Buchanan, the son of David Hasselhoff’s character on Baywatch, a role he played from age 11 until 1999.
Willison, also from California, was a striking fitness model who regularly appeared on magazine covers in sportswear and swimwear. The couple attended red carpet events and appeared deeply in love.
However, behind closed doors, their marriage was far from ideal. Jackson had a long history of substance abuse dating back to his teenage years on Baywatch. He was arrested at 19 for methamphetamine-related offenses, served jail time, and went through multiple rehabilitation programs.
Their relationship became increasingly volatile, fueled by alcohol. In August 2014, police were called to their home following an alleged domestic incident. Willison later claimed she was assaulted, suffering broken ribs, neck injuries, and facial scratches, though she chose not to press charges.
The couple separated shortly afterward.
Mental Health Struggles and Life on the Streets
Following the breakup, Willison’s mental health deteriorated. She left her job as a plastic surgeon’s assistant and was unable to continue modeling or working. Financial problems quickly followed, and in 2016 she lost her apartment and her car.
Living on the streets, she developed a dependency on crystal meth, and her mental health worsened further. In later interviews, she described experiencing paranoia and delusions, believing she was being harmed or watched.
At one point, friends attempted to help. Former model Kristin Rossetti tracked Willison down, paid for a hotel room, provided clean clothes, and offered to fund rehabilitation. However, Willison declined the help and disappeared for nearly two years.
“She desperately needs help,” Rossetti said at the time. “But you can’t force someone to accept it.”
A Stark Contrast
Willison resurfaced in 2020, once again seen searching through trash bins near Venice Beach. Her once-glamorous appearance had been severely affected by addiction, and she had lost several teeth. She was living just meters away from luxury homes owned by celebrities, including actor Ben Affleck.
In contrast, her ex-husband Jeremy Jackson has reportedly remained sober and reinvented himself as a fitness figure in Los Angeles, frequently posting workout photos on social media. He has declined to comment publicly on Willison’s situation.
Friends continue to hope that renewed attention will lead to Willison receiving the help she so desperately needs.
