Sharon Summerall, Don Henley’s Wife Is Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis

Sharon Summerall, the wife of Eagles band founder, drummer & singer, Don Henley, came into the musician’s life when he was about to lose faith in true love. Now, the duo has been married for 28 years & shares 3 children.

Before meeting the Hotel California singer, Summerall was a model and socialite until her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis. Despite all these, nothing changed the love between the two- her husband, Don, always has remained by her side. Let’s get all about Sharon in this article.

Key Takeaways:

• Sharon Summerall is a former model who worked with agencies like Elite, Ford Models, and Eva Models.
• She left her career after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
• A Dallas, Texas, native, she grew up in a farmer family.
• Her mother, Kathryn, died in 2018, due to complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
• She has a brother, Brian Summerall, and a sister, Victoria Sudderth.
• Summerall met her future husband, Don Henley in 1993, and married in 1995.
• She is a mother to her 3 kids – Annabel Henley, Julia Henley, and Will Henley.

Don Henley’s Wife, Sharon Summerall, Used To Be A Model

Before Summerall became well-known as the wife of the Eagles drummer & singer, she pursued her career as a model. She began modeling in the early 80s as a 19-year-old. Soon enough, she was subjected to immense success.

Her extraordinary beauty immediately got her to the very top of her career. Summerall worked with Elite Modeling Agency in Chigaco from 1986 to 1987. The celebrity spouse also was an asset to the international agency, Ford Models, for some time. Additionally, Sharon also traveled around and worked with Eva Models in Paris.

Furthermore, in her short-lived glam journey, she modeled for a number of fashion shows in New York, Paris, and Milan.

Sharon’s Diagnosis With “MS” Ended Her Career

Back in the early 1090s, a few days prior to her first meeting with Don, Summerall was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). And, as much as she wanted to continue being a model, her disease put a full stop to it.

MS is a rare disease that affects a person’s central nervous system – typically, the brain and spinal cord. In turn, it also attacks the overall immune system of the patient. Moreover, when diagnosed with MS, the person will have the disease for a lifetime.

Summerall had to immediately begin her treatment after the diagnosis was made. Even to this day, she struggles with MS.

A Texan By Birth: How Old Is Sharon Summerall Now?

Born on April 30, 1963, Sharon is a native of Dallas, Texas, USA. Stating the obvious, she holds the nationality of America and is Caucasian. As of 2023, Summerall is 60 years old.

She attended Richardson High School in Texas. After that, she moved on with her higher studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas & graduated in 1985.

Who Are In Her Family?

Summerall comes from a blue-collar family & is the daughter of Charles Summerall and the late Kathryn Summerall.

Her father worked as a farmer, and her mother was a homemaker. Given this fact, it is evident that she grew up on a farm, surrounded by crops and farm animals. Additionally, we can also assume that she might be an outdoorsy person.

Sharon Grew Up With 2 Siblings

One of the 3 children of her parents, Summerall grew up with a brother, Brian Summerall, and a sister, Victoria Sudderth.

Her brother Brian has been working as a director at the Tod Bush Leadership Center since January 2021. Previously, he held the position of Director of Ministry Strategy for 34 years at Young Life. According to his Facebook account, Brian is married to Michelle DuVall Sumerall. The husband and wife share 2 sons (David and Daniel). Together, with his family, he lives in Dallas, Texas.

Likewise, Sharon’s other sibling, Victoria likes to lay low. Nevertheless, she is currently married to Terry Sudderth. The couple has 5 children in total.

Sharon Summerall’s Mother Passed Away In 2018; What Happened?

Sadly, Mrs. Summerall died at 85, on December 21, 2018. Her memorial service was held at the Church of the Incarnation on 8th January 2019.

Sharon’s mother, Kathyrn, suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease for a long time. As per one of the posts made by her brother, she was the “life of the party” before the disease affected her, and loved performing. However, she continued to dance and use Tony Bennett’s music to cope with the stress of her illness.

As reported, Kathryn and her husband Charles, married on March 7, 1959, were together for 59 years before the former’s death.

How Did Sharon End Up With A Profound Singer Like Don Henley?

The Eagles rock band drummer-cum-vocalist, Henley, had many lovers before he met Sharon. Some of them included Loree Rodkin in the mid-70s, followed by Stevie Nicks, Lois Chiles, and Maren Jensen. His exes became his musical inspiration, while also adding to his fear of never finding a soulmate.

But, that was until he met the woman of his dreams in 1993. As soon as he saw Sharon, he was starstruck and fell head over heels. She also had similar feelings. Thus, the pair started dating each other shortly after.

They were seen with each other for the first time on 19th April 1993 at Los Angeles International Airport. It took no time for the couple to become a fan-favorite couple and often appeared together in public and people couldn’t stop gushing over them.

The Duo’s 1995 Wedding Was Described, “Rock-n-Roll Hall Of Fame”

After 2 years of dating, they turned their relationship from boyfriend-girlfriend to husband-wife. They got engaged in 1993 & a few months, later, they married on May 20, 1995, in an extravagant ceremony in Malibu, California.

The couple was further accompanied by a hoard of other celebrities. Artists like Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Jackson Browne, Sheryl Crow, Glenn Frey, and Tony Bennett were the performers. With almost all the great musicians present there, people called their wedding a “Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame”.

The highlight of their Vista Ranch reception was, of course, Henly’s dedication to his beloved by singing the Beatles song, In My Life. The couple danced the night away with Sharon clad in a beautiful $80,000 white gown, and her husband in a $2 million suit.

Summerall and Henley Moved To Her Hometown For Their 3 Children

In the course of their marriage, Summerall and Henley became parents of 3 children: Annabel, Julia, and Will Henley. Among the 3 of them, Annabel is the oldest one, born on 17th December 1995. It followed the birth of Julia and then, their son, Will, on 9th February 1998.

After the birth of their kids, the former model and her partner decided to move to Texas. Since they’d be near her parents and also away from the hassle of LA, the couple decided that it was the right thing to do. Over and above that, Sharon always wanted to raise her babies in a quiet environment.

Sharon Summerall Lives In Dallas, Texas, With Her Hubby

Despite Summerall’s illness, Don Henley did not ever leave her side. As a matter of fact, he’s held her hands for almost 28 years and continues to stand beside her. Furthermore, by jumping over all the hurdles coming their way, Sharon and her famous husband live together in Dallas, Texas in 2023.

Perhaps, they have a beautiful home near her birth home. Having said that, the lovers share Henley’s huge net worth of $200 million. Hence, with each other, they have a well-settled yet luxurious lifestyle.