Two-time Academy Award winner Sally Field shared that being a mother “saved” her. Reflecting on a difficult experience from before she became a parent, she admitted feeling “ashamed” about that chapter in her life.
Sally Field, who first became pregnant as a teenager and is now a mother of three, opened up about a “traumatic event” from her younger years. She admitted that she’s long been hesitant to share this part of her past.
Sally Field first became pregnant at 17 and had no sense of direction in life at that point. | Source: Getty Images
In an Instagram post from October 2024, Sally divulged, “I’ve been so hesitant to do this, to tell my horrific story.” The actress pointed to the social constraints of her teenage years, a time “even worse than now,” when contraception was hardly accessible and only available to married women.
Accompanied by a video, her post delved deeply into the ordeal. “I feel still very ashamed about it because I was raised in the 50s and it’s ingrained in me,” she began.
The movie star explained that as a teenager, her choices were limited, “I didn’t have a lot of family support in any way or finances.” Despite completing high school, college wasn’t mentioned in her household, and she remained unaware of that path.
After discovering she was pregnant at 17, a trusted family doctor—along with his wife and her mother—took her across the border for a procedure that was difficult and overwhelming.
Once there, the doctor parked a few blocks away and handed her an envelope with money, instructing her to enter a building alone. “I guess he thought that if I were dying maybe he could help me,” Sally recalled, describing the experience as “beyond hideous and life-altering.”
With no financial means, Sally Field opted to terminate the pregnancy. | Source: Getty Images
“I had no anesthetic. There was a technician giving me a few puffs of ether, but he would then take it away so it just made my arms and legs feel numb and weird,” she explained.
“I felt everything, of how much pain I was in. And then I realized that the technician was actually molesting me. So, I had to figure out how I can make my arms move to push him away,” the star continued.
Following this procedure, she was told to leave quickly due to the legal restrictions at the time. Even decades later, she described carrying an “absolute pit of shame.”
However, when she underwent the procedure, she experienced abuse at the hands of a technician. | Source: Getty Images
Sally Field only opened up about the ordeal later in life and admitted she feels ashamed about it. | Source: Getty Images
Years later, Sally found new meaning in motherhood at 23, crediting her first son, Peter Craig, with transforming her life. In a March 2024 interview, she recalled how his birth in 1969 gave her a sense of purpose.
“I wasn’t alone anymore,” she shared, explaining that caring for him sparked a fierce resolve within her. “He saved my life,” Sally reflected, describing him as a gentle presence who brought strength and stability to her world. “[…] He was my savior,” she added.
As Sally’s career took off during “The Flying Nun,” she also began her journey as a mother while married to Steven Craig. Looking back on that period, the actress explained that, despite the excitement of set life, her true focus was on her growing family.
“My life was happening beside itself,” the mother of three recalled, as her thoughts were centered on the new life she was carrying.
Sally Field later fell pregnant for the second time during her marriage and had two kids. | Source: Getty Images
Now 54, Sally’s son Peter—a successful screenwriter and novelist—reflects fondly on his unique upbringing. His famous mother described him as a “miraculously loving parent,” adding he brings a warmth to raising his own daughters that she admires.
Watching him with them, she said, “To raise children who go on to be great parents is an accomplishment—that’s the Oscar moment in life.”
Sally Field first became a mother at age 23. | Source: Getty Images
Sally Field shared that having her eldest son Peter Craig saved her life. | Source: Getty Images
Sally Field didn’t feel alone anymore after becoming a first-time mom. | Source: Getty Images
Today, Sally Field’s son is also a father and she has praised him for being a doting parent. | Source: Getty Images
Like his famous mother, Peter Craig also ventured into showbiz but works behind the camera. | Source: Getty Images
Sally’s second son, Eli Craig, 52, —a film director and screenwriter born in 1972—has his own view of her parenting style.
The family matriarch shared that Eli might describe her as “a good and loving mom” but has playfully noted that she wasn’t strict enough. She responded by reminding him how “uncontainable” he was as a child.
Now, seeing Eli with his son, Sally reflects on her role, observing that “watching your kids become parents tells you what kind of parent you might have been.”
Sally Field became a mom for the second time when she welcomed her son Eli Craig. | Source: Getty Images
Sally Field once divulged that her son told her that she wasn’t strict enough when raising him and his older brother. | Source: Getty Images
Sally Field shared that watching her middle child raise his own son warms her heart. | Source: Getty Images
Sally’s youngest son, Samuel Geisman, a film producer and writer born in 1987, shares a uniquely close bond with his mother.
In an essay, he described himself as “a momma’s boy,” attributing their deep connection to her supportive presence during his childhood. As Samuel put it, “We have always been incredibly close.”
Samuel’s coming out was met with joy from Sally, who embraced him wholeheartedly. He recalled her response, saying she “didn’t even bat an eye” and was fully supportive, even trying to set him up with his “Olympic crush,” Adam Rippon.
Sally proudly described him as “glorious, smart, funny, sweet Sam” and celebrated the moment he stood up at 20 to say, “I am a gay man.”
Though the loving mother’s career has been fulfilling, her greatest pride is her family. “The three things I’m most proud of in my life are my sons,” she once said, admiring their kindness, love, and accomplishments.
Sally Field’s journey as a mother has shaped both her life and her legacy, grounding her through personal and professional highs and lows. With her three sons by her side, she embraces a life rich with purpose and love.
