How Treat Williams Once Helped Melissa Gilbert During A Tragic Time

Treat Williams offered Melissa Gilbert much-needed support when she was facing a devastating loss. Williams, who was known for his roles in projects such as "Everwood," "Hair," and "Deep Rising," died in June 2023 at the age of 71 as a result of a motorcycle accident, People reported. "He was making a left or a right, [and] a car cut him off," Williams' agent, Barry McPherson, told the news outlet. "I'm just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented."

In addition to acting, Williams had a love for flying planes. During a 2010 chat with Publishers Weekly, Williams stated he had "been flying for about 35 years" and described this as something that was "a huge part of [his] life." The news site added that Williams was both a pilot and a certified flight instructor. In a June 2023 Instagram post paying her respects to Williams, Gilbert remembered a time when she was urgently in need of transportation amid the death of her friend's young son. On this occasion, Williams lent Gilbert a helping hand. 

Treat Williams helped Melissa Gilbert when she could not find a flight to a memorial service. Following Williams' untimely death, the "Little House on the Prairie" star detailed via Instagram that when her best friend's teenage son died, Gilbert was asked to deliver a eulogy at the memorial. During this time, Gilbert was filming a movie in Toronto, which she had to complete before departing the area. However, there weren't any commercial flights matching her availability that would conclude with her arriving on time, which left the actor "desperate and borderline hysterical." 

Gilbert then discovered Williams owned a charter company called Cineflight, per Flying Magazine. Though Gilbert expressed that she would have paid a lot of money for a flight, Williams showed generosity after learning about the sad circumstances surrounding her travels. "Treat, upon hearing why I needed the plane, sent it to me, basically gratis," Gilbert said. "I paid the pilots' salary. That's all." Gilbert added that Williams left her a sympathy note on the plane, in addition to food and a desk so she could pen the eulogy more comfortably. 

"None of us will forget his kindness and humanity," Gilbert said of Williams. Aside from Gilbert, several stars shared their fond memories of Williams in the wake of his tragic death.

Hollywood remembered Treat Williams amid his sudden passing. Beverly D'Angelo honored Williams, with whom she acted in "Hair," on Instagram by sharing a screenshot of her last text exchange with Williams. Here, she wrote to him, "Hey treatski. Thank you for calling just love you." In response, Williams sent three heart emojis and wrote the messages, "Good talk," "Today," before sending a photo of his view from the inside of a plane. She described Williams as "a gifted sincere magnificent human who valued fatherhood and family above all."

Chris Pratt starred opposite Williams in "Everwood" from 2002 to 2006. The "Guardians of the Galaxy" star likewise took to Instagram in June 2023 to pay tribute to both Williams and John Beasley, another cast member from the show who died in May 2023 (via The Hollywood Reporter). "Both men were exceptional actors, wonderful husbands, fathers and friends," he wrote. "They will be missed tremendously. I learned a great deal from working with each of them." Another "Everwood" lead actor, Emily VanCamp, said of Williams on Instagram, "The many times we worked together- always wonderful and I was always excited for the next time. Sending all my love to your family Treat. Fly high my friend."