Kristian Alfonso garnered the love of fans globally when she took on the role of Hope Williams, who later became Hope Brady on the daytime soap "Days of Our Lives" in 1983.
Besides being an amazing actress, she is also a faithful wife who has been married to her second husband for 21 years and a doting mother to her three sons.
However, her career started with being a gold medalist in the Junior Olympic Figure Skating Championships at 13. By the time she was 16, she had become a model and was on the cover of Seventeen magazine.
First wedding of Peter Reckell as Bo Brady, Kristian Alfonso as Hope Williams Brady on "Days of Our Lives" | Source: Getty Images
Born on September 5, 1963, she never stopped putting in the hard work, and fans loved the results every time she stepped in the shows of Hope Brady.
Alfonso's hard work paid off in 2002 when she and her onscreen husband, Peter Reckell, received a special fan prize at the Daytime Emmys for being America's Favorite Couple.
ALFONSO'S DATING LIFE
Before her second marriage, Alfonso was first married to Simon Macauley. They had dated for at least two years before getting married on August 15, 1987.
They had attended movie premieres together, and when they got married, Alfonso wore the same wedding dress Hope Brady wore on the set of "Days of Our Lives."
Kristian Alfonso and date Simon Macauley on January 2, 1986, dining at Spago in West Hollywood | Source: Getty Images
On October 2, 1990, the couple welcomed their first son, Gino William Macauley, in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, they broke up shortly after his birth and got divorced.
After her divorce from Macauley, Alfonso dated one of the most prolific interior designers, Michael Palumbo. He was known for bringing art to the homes he designed.
Besides being a designer, Palumbo was also described as a builder, visionary, and artist with a passion for good design and quality craftsmanship.
Kristian Alfonso, Michael Palumbo, and her son Gino Macauley at the "Happy Birthday, Camp Snoop!" on April 25, 1993, in California | Source: Getty Images
Being a premier designer and developer, Palumbo quickly became one of Bel Air's most sought-after and famous designers for celebrities' homes. His projects sold for double or more with just floor plans.
But besides being a great designer, Palumbo is a doting dad of three kids and a loyal husband. He got married to his wife Lindsey in 2007, and they have two daughters and a son.
MARRIED A SECOND TIME
Like her parents, Alfonso works on believing and was a single mother for many years. She believed that she would meet someone and decided to take it one step at a time.
She met her husband, Danny Daggenhurst, and they married on October 6, 2001. Together, they have a son named Jack, born on July 18, 2002.
In 2021, to celebrate their 20th anniversary, Alfonso took to Instagram to praise her husband for his love, kindness, being her rock, and a dream come true. However, she once recalled one challenging moment with her husband. She said:
"My husband had come with me, and when we got into the car, our eyes met, and I looked at him and said, 'Don't ask me any questions.' My emotions were right there at the surface."
In addition to being a wonderful wife, Alfonso is also a thoughtful mom who believes that her family is everything and uses every opportunity to celebrate them.
Being a very thoughtful mom, she can't stand being away from her kids for long. Years ago, that was the case when she and her husband took time out in a hotel down their street.
Hours after leaving the house, they started to miss the kids and checked in on them before heading back to the hotel for dinner.
This was not the first time her husband had taken her out for a couple of days so they could relax. He had once surprised her with some time away.
Alfonso had suggested they take a trip again to the hotel down the street. Her husband took her to the Beverly Hills Hotel for her birthday.
Despite her exceptionally busy career, her family always comes first place. In an interview with People, she said,
"Being a mom and a wife is always the first position. My family always comes first."
ALFONSO'S CHILDREN
Alfonso is the biological mother to two sons and a stepmother to one. She has a close relationship with all three boys, Gino William, 32, Jack, 20, and stepson Spartan, 30.
While the older boys were teenagers, Alfonso hoped that none of her kids would cause her problems like those her character dealt with on "Days of Our Lives."
Alfonso had described Gino William as her clone. People on the set at "Days of our Lives" always referred to him as being similar to her. At 17, he was already taller than her, and she had to look up to him.
On the other hand, Jack and Spartan look more like their father even though Jack shares some similarities with her. Even as adults, the boys still have a close bond, and Alfonso continuously celebrates them.
Gino William is a research and development engineer at HAAS Automation. He is also a data analyst and a racecar engineer.
For Gino William, he once gave his mom credit for his racing career. In an Instagram post where she took him to a car race as a child, he captioned the post saying,
"Without her, I would have never been in racing."
Her stepson, Spartan Khashoggi, followed in her footsteps and became an actor and director. He is also a composer and pianist.
Spartan Khashoggi Daggenhurst and Elisha Herbert attend Vanessa Hudgens And Oliver Trevena Host 'Caliwater Escape' In Joshua Tree To Celebrate Their New Cactus Water Beverage | Source: Getty Images
He wrote and directed "Vinny Mancuso's Rules for Good Business" and "The Salt Ruby Affair" and starred in "Musical Lectures with Spartan Daggenhurst."
In August 2020, her youngest son Jack graduated from Notre Dame High School. He was a part of the debaters club that became the International Public Policy Forum World Champions at school.
ALFONSO ON PLASTIC SURGERY AND MORE
While some stars opt for surgery to retain youthful looks, Alfonso has said she would rather grow old gracefully as she wants her grandchildren to recognize her. She said,
"I just say to my hubby, you know what, honey, I'm just going to age gracefully. I'm too afraid to do anything."
On July 6, 2020, Alfonso took to her Instagram page to reveal that she would not be returning to "Days of Our Lives" after 37 years of being cast as Hope Brady.
Peter Reckell as Bo Brady, Kristian Alfonso as Hope Williams Brady on "Days of Our Lives" | Source: Getty Images
She was grateful to NBC and the late Betty Corday, who took a chance on her and changed her life. She said,
"I feel blessed and honored to have been invited into people's homes for over three decades. However, it is now time for me to write my next chapter."
She said the show had been a vital part of her personal and professional journey and was thankful to her fans, who had been there from the start.
Kristian Alfonso at the "Days Of Our Lives" Book Signing on October 27, 2015, in Northvale | Source: Getty Images
Alfonso, a jewelry lover, constantly had people ask her about the pieces she was wearing and decided to enter the jewelry designing world.
On November 7, 2006, she opened her business, which she named Hope Faith Miracles, derived from her love of the fleur-de-lis, a French lily.
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