Brady Bunch Star Maureen McCormick Dedicates Emotional 'Dancing With The Stars' Dance To The Love Of Her Life

Publish Date
Friday, 14 October 2016, 12:18PM

Maureen McCormick has a lot to be thankful for, and she channelled all of that gratitude into this week’s routine on Dancing With The Stars.

McCormick danced a foxtrot with partner Artem Chigvintsev as part of the Most Memorable Year theme week on the ABC celebrity ballroom competition. Before the show McCormick took to Twitter to tease that she would be dancing for “the love of [her] life,” her husband, Michael Cummings.

McCormick’s Most Memorable Year dance was extremely emotional. The 60-year-old actress wore her heart on her sleeve and the tears were flowing after the judges raved about McCormick’s “angelic” dance - giving her her highest score to date: 24 points.

While her TV persona, Marcia Brady, had a seemingly perfect life, McCormick has been vocal about her real life struggles with drugs and eating disorders. In 1985, McCormick married the love of her life, Michael Cummings, after meeting him at church.

“Jerry Houser, who played my husband on The Brady Brides, took me to church one day,” McCormick told Newsweek. “It was an amazing thing for me. I totally reconnected with God. This is where I met my husband, Michael—it was love at first sight. ”

In her 2008 memoir Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice, McCormick credited her husband with saving her life, and she reiterated that statement during her DWTS dance. Michael has been by McCormick’s side since 1985.

In addition to her husband of 30 years, McCormick has another love of her life: her daughter, Natalie, who was born in 1990.

But the first love of McCormick’s life may just be her brother, Denny. McCormick’s older brother was born with an intellectual disability and she has been passionate about supporting him. McCormick has previously revealed that when Denny was born her parents were told that he should be institutionalised or put away, but they fought for his right to live a normal life.

However, after their mother passed away from cancer, Denny had to be placed in a group home because he needed full-time care. McCormick recalled that she felt guilty about sending Denny to a home, but that it was the right decision because he has a better quality of life now.

In addition to her real life family, Maureen has plenty of love for her Brady Bunch family. Florence Henderson, who played McCormick’s mum on The Brady Bunch, made a cameo on DWTS to show support for her former co-star, and she also spoke about her TV daughter’s rough time in dealing with the aftermath of Marcia Brady.

And Chris Knight, who played Peter Brady on the ’70s sitcom, posted a message saying that he is proud of his TV sister, Maureen McCormick. Knight also spoke about McCormick for DWTS.

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