Heather Thomas, known for her role opposite Lee Majors in “The Fall Guy,” turned 66 on September 8. Initially poised for a successful Hollywood career, Thomas faced personal challenges that significantly altered her path.

When the final episode of “The Fall Guy” wrapped, Thomas’s mother arrived on set, leading Thomas to believe her father was in the hospital

. Rushing to Santa Monica hospital, she was surprised to find her family and friends waiting, concerned for her well-being. This marked the beginning of a transformative journey for the then 28-year-old actress.

Thomas had always been gifted with natural beauty and talent, comparable to Farrah Fawcett and Heather Locklear. She started young, hosting NBC’s “Talking with a Giant” at 14, where she and other teens interviewed celebrities. Determined to advance her career, Thomas studied film and theater at UCLA, landing a role in the comedy series “Co-Ed Fever” before graduating.

In 1980, Thomas won her first leading role in “The Fall Guy,” playing Jody Banks, a stuntwoman-bounty hunter. Despite her success and popularity, particularly as a sex symbol, Thomas struggled with mixed feelings about this title. “There’s obligatory condescension that goes with that,” she told People. “You fill that archetype, the blonde bimbo. But at that point, I was just having fun.”

However, Thomas’s fun included drug use, which began in sixth grade to maintain top grades. She used acid and other substances, claiming it was mind-expanding. Her drug use escalated at UCLA, particularly with cocaine, and by 1981, it was affecting her role on “The Fall Guy.” Thomas also battled an obsession with weight, leading to the use of Lasix, a diuretic that caused severe lethargy, counteracted by more cocaine for energy.