It’s been twelve years since Anna Nicole Smith passed away. Since then, her 12 year-old daughter Dannielynn has been raised by her father, Larry Birkhead. Now, Larry is opening up about Dannielynn’s life for the first time, and many fans are surprised at just how normal the young teen’s life is.
Larry and Dannielynn live in a 10,000-square-foot foot home in Kentucky, where the little girl has a pet lizard, plays the violin, and argues with her dad about how much time she spends on her cellphone, just like any other young girl does.
Larry and Dannielynn are so close that they plan their Halloween costumes together each year, and they enjoy taking trips to Dollywood with one another. They also try to honor the memory of Anna Nicole in any way they can, especially on the anniversary of her passing.
“I never want it to be a real heavy day,” Larry explained, “so we might get a cake and tell stories. But in our house, every day is Anna day. We talk about her and remember her all the time.”
Larry said that like most parents, he plays many different roles on any given day.
“Sometimes you feel like a bodyguard, sometimes you feel like a chauffeur,” he joked “It depends on what the day is. But my job is dad and I think I’ve done a pretty good job. She’s adjusted to it and she’s just a normal kid.”
Larry added that in Kentucky, “life has been really great and quiet by design. It’s given Dannielynn a great foundation, too. She is concentrating on school and has even made the Honor Roll!”
A few years ago, Dannielynn modeled for Guess, the brand that made her mom famous. However, Larry has said that this was just a one time thing to pay homage to her mom.
“Dannielynn has always looked up to her mom’s image and…I think that this is kind of Dannielynn’s way of paying tribute to her mom in her own special way,” he said. “To see her mom’s picture next to hers as a Guess girl and say, ‘Hey, I was a Guess Kids girl, my mommy was a Guess girl,’ that might be her only connection with her mom.”
“I’ve had companies call me since then and ask me for her to model,” Larry continued, “and the answer is no. She doesn’t show any interest in it. She wants to be a kid.”
In the end, Larry is glad that he has been able to give Dannielynn a normal life.
“She’s a good kid,” he says, “and we laugh and have the best times and she wears me out.”
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