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A former “Dancing with the Stars” finalist is showing that aging does not have to be a negative experience. Ricki Lake, who competed on “DWTS” during season 13 in 2011 with Derek Hough, embraced her age and exuded loads of confidence in a recent social media post, and her fans are loving it.
Here’s what you need to know:
Ricki Lake Shared a Moment of Zen
On June 5, Lake took to her Instagram page to share a post about gratitude and self-love. “Hands down, these days are the best of my life. 54 1/2 years old (young!),” her caption began. The photo was snapped in Mill Valley, California, according to the geotag, and the former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant added tags referring to the Redwoods and nature. The Mill Valley Library notes the small city is 14 miles north of San Francisco and describes it as an area with a “rich and eclectic cultural history.” The area is the home of the Muir Woods National Monument, a 558-acre area described as one of “the last remaining ancient redwood forests in the Bay Area.” It appeared the serene landscape was the perfect setting for Lake’s moment of gratitude.
The photo Lake shared showed her in an outdoor bathtub, surrounded by thick foliage. The former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant was sitting in the tub, nude, with her eyes closed and face raised towards the bits of sunshine that were visible through the trees. She wrapped her arms across her chest and had her knees bent as the tub filled with water. She explained in her caption, “Grateful for all that had to happen for me to get to here. A place of complete self-acceptance and self love.”
Lake Gushed Over Her Husband & Received Loads of Support
The former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant credited her husband, Ross Burningham, for snapping the photo. “Ross, you make every adventure the most fun ever,” she gushed. Us Weekly noted Lake married Burningham on January 2, 2022, almost a year after the couple got engaged. Lake was previously married to Rob Sussman, from 1994 to 2004, as well as to Christian Evans, from 2012 to 2015. She has two grown sons with Sussman. Lake and Evans split in 2015, in large part due to his mental health issues, according to People. Evans, whom Lake called her “beloved soulmate” when revealing his death, died by suicide in 2017.
In addition to navigating her former husband’s suicide, Lake opened up in January about her multi-year battle with androgenetic alopecia, hair loss that eventually led her to shave her hair. She only shared the video of shaving her hair a few months ago, several years after doing it, and she has since regrown gray hair she loves. Now that she has forged forward from those significant life challenges, Lake is apparently full of acceptance and love for where she is now in life. After sharing her post, many fans and colleagues gushed over it.
“You have my dream life,” detailed Ashley Williams.
“I can’t explain how much I adore u,” added Rosie O’Donnell.
“Being in a place of self acceptance and self love must feel like the most empowering experience and gift to give yourself – amazing,” shared a supporter.
“Your body is saying that you are Free. I so love your energy. Body Beautiful,” someone else detailed.
Another supporter wrote, “What a gorgeous pic of you! You are inspirational!”
“I have tears in my eyes from this post… Thank you for sharing your journey! You give me hope that this isn’t the end but instead I too can find peace and understanding within,” read another comment.
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