https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/205132754/wilfred-boyd-mcdonald

His obit says he has a son. I thought his only child was my Mary Helen. Strange. I never understood the bitter ness from Mary Helen the situation was her and mothers fault too. Crazy.

The show did leave you to believe that she was his only child. I always thought she was unnecessarily hard on Mac. Of course, she’d grown up being told lies about him. But she didn’t seem willing to give him a chance to hear his side of the story and try to make his absence up to her. I didn’t like her.

I find their bitterness very understandable. The mother had clearly long come to the realization that HER mother had been right about him from the start.
From the daughter's point of view, her father took advantage of her mother, and then being a wanted criminal fled leaving her to grow up without him. Pretty hard to understand why either of them were receptive, and frankly I think the only reason they even called to make contact was the possibility of inheritance, had he been penniless I doubt they would have contacted him.
Meanwhile grandma is looking down on this saying I told you so.

Yes, but it was grandma that made him into a “ criminal “ and caused him to be worried about coming back. I think if he had stood up to her after the daughter was born, she’d have probably grudgingly come around. Too bad he was too afraid of being arrested to try.

Yes, but it was grandma that made him into a “ criminal “ and caused him to be worried about coming back. I think if he had stood up to her after the daughter was born, she’d have probably grudgingly come around. Too bad he was too afraid of being arrested to try.

No, grandma did not "make" him a criminal anymore than someone who reports being assaulted, robbed, or shot at makes their assailant into a criminal. No, the assailant becomes a criminal when they commit an act which is prohibited by law. Grandma was not responsible for that, he was. And for that matter, she even tried to dissuade him from doing so, and if he was a gentlemen he would have listened.

I don't blame Sherry for her reaction to Mac one bit. I can sort of relate because I had a father who came in and out of my life. The gap in years was not nearly as long, but it absolutely was "emotionally traumatic" (as she described it)

At the same time I don't think Mac was a bad man (going on national tv to atone for the sins of your youth is quite the mea culpa). I can appreciate why he would want her to inherit his wealth - if he did in fact follow through on that promise.

I don’t think he was a bad guy or a criminal. He did make some bad choices that I will chalk up to immaturity. He made the choice to become involved with and run away with an underage girl. Then he made the choice to run away alone rather than face going to jail. I do think grandma should’ve relented when he came around to see the baby. And she might have, but Mac ran away before finding out. I do think he was a good person that made some cowardly choices.

Precisely Killarney.
I always thought the daughter grew up hearing bad things about Mac more from her grandmother than her mother, but I also didn't particularly care for how she came off in the segment. Felt like she was only appearing to give him a chance, not actually intending to do so.

No, grandma did not "make" him a criminal anymore than someone who reports being assaulted, robbed, or shot at makes their assailant into a criminal. No, the assailant becomes a criminal when they commit an act which is prohibited by law. Grandma was not responsible for that, he was. And for that matter, she even tried to dissuade him from doing so, and if he was a gentlemen he would have listened.

Sorry but it takes two to tango. Mary Helen chased after him when he tried to get away from the situation. Everyone has fault in this its not all Macs fault. Mary Rose, Mack and grandma. Mac was not a criminal either and bitterness towards him is unfair for that reason.

Precisely Killarney.
I always thought the daughter grew up hearing bad things about Mac more from her grandmother than her mother, but I also didn't particularly care for how she came off in the segment. Felt like she was only appearing to give him a chance, not actually intending to do so.

Explains why she wasn't in the will.

Explains why she wasn't in the will.


I don't think his daughter had good intentions for him at all. It seemed to me the only reason they responded to the segment was because Mac was worth a lot and she was the only heir at the time.

She had already made up in her mind that other man who raised her was her dad. She was very cold and distant to Mac.

I wouldn't be shocked if Mac was the one who cut her off. She was clearly after his money. The mom and grandmom had already planted the seed he was a bad person. I guess she said the least he could do was give her some money LOL.

Mac seemed like an alright guy to me. Glad to see he lived a long life and had a son and grandchildren.

Explains why she wasn't in the will.

How do you know this?

He was a criminal. He did criminal things.
He raped an underaged girl (as she could not consent), essentially kidnapped her (again, she was underaged) and got her pregnant.

Do I think he was a terrible man? He was when when he did those things.
Then he went on TV to beg to see his victim’s child.
And Unsolved Mysteries LET him.

The older I get, the more this segment pisses me off.

He was a criminal. He did criminal things.
He raped an underaged girl (as she could not consent), essentially kidnapped her (again, she was underaged) and got her pregnant.

Do I think he was a terrible man? He was when when he did those things.
Then he went on TV to beg to see his victim’s child.
And Unsolved Mysteries LET him.

The older I get, the more this segment pisses me off.

Sounds like you need therapy.

Everyone needs therapy.
That’s not an insult.

She was underage. He was 20. It was against the law. Full stop.

I don't recall her exact age, but wasn't she still fairly close to his age? 16-17 to his 20? I comprehend that some people feel this is more vile than others. It certainly beats Creepy Utterback being early 30's to Denise's 17 or whatever.

I don't think his daughter had good intentions for him at all. It seemed to me the only reason they responded to the segment was because Mac was worth a lot and she was the only heir at the time.

She had already made up in her mind that other man who raised her was her dad. She was very cold and distant to Mac.

I wouldn't be shocked if Mac was the one who cut her off. She was clearly after his money. The mom and grandmom had already planted the seed he was a bad person. I guess she said the least he could do was give her some money LOL.

Mac seemed like an alright guy to me. Glad to see he lived a long life and had a son and grandchildren.

appare ntly he has a son to leave things too

He was a criminal. He did criminal things.
He raped an underaged girl (as she could not consent), essentially kidnapped her (again, she was underaged) and got her pregnant.

Do I think he was a terrible man? He was when when he did those things.
Then he went on TV to beg to see his victim’s child.
And Unsolved Mysteries LET him.

The older I get, the more this segment pisses me off.

your wrong. she ran after him and moved in with him. she is just as much to blame for the situation. the only thing wrong is he didn't tell her to back to her mother till she was 18. not to mention she protected him and got him out house so cops would not get him. they all created this problem. if you read his obit he much loved man. they are cutting there selves short actin gthe way they did when it was all their faults.

Everyone needs therapy.
That’s not an insult.

She was underage. He was 20. It was against the law. Full stop.

and she ran after him. his only fault not telling her to go back home till; she was 18. she even protected him buy getting him out of their before the cops did.

How do you know this?

i dont it was an assumption. something hap0pend to cause it or she was accidently left out. i don't know. least he has son to leave things too.

appare ntly he has a son to leave things too


I'm aware. I mentioned the son in the last sentence of my post.

i dont it was an assumption. something hap0pend to cause it or she was accidently left out. i don't know. least he has son to leave things too.


I'm sure the relationship broke down because the daughter was never genuine when it came to Mac. She came off like a gold digger to me looking for a pay day. She was firm when she said her life was "settled" and that she had a man she considers her father. When she said she could make room I have a feeling she meant for Mac's $$.

I bet that Mac and her relationship never got off the ground so 25-30 years later its likely they had been out of contact with one another for some time.

I liked Mac he seemed like a stand up guy. You can't judge a person based upon decisions they made in their 20s. Hell we all did some things we likely would have done differently now.

This reminds me of that other story. were that family threatened to sue unsolved mystery because a woman was looking for her father that had baby with her mother during the war. The show did nothing wrong they were helping her find her father. I do not know if the lady got to meet her father. Some people can be so vindictive and nasty instead makiung amends and adding to their families.

[QUOTE=JenniferS.;6160541]This reminds me of that other story. were that family threatened to sue unsolved mystery because a woman was looking for her father that had baby with her mother during the war. The show did nothing wrong they were helping her find her father. I do not know if the lady got to meet her father. Some people can be so vindictive and nasty instead making amends and adding to their families.

I'm sure the relationship broke down because the daughter was never genuine when it came to Mac. She came off like a gold digger to me looking for a pay day. She was firm when she said her life was "settled" and that she had a man she considers her father. When she said she could make room I have a feeling she meant for Mac's $$.

I bet that Mac and her relationship never got off the ground so 25-30 years later its likely they had been out of contact with one another for some time.

I liked Mac he seemed like a stand up guy. You can't judge a person based upon decisions they made in their 20s. Hell we all did some things we likely would have done differently now.

Everyone had fault in this. To bad moms past their vindictive ness down. Sad.

Sorry but it takes two to tango. Mary Helen chased after him when he tried to get away from the situation. Everyone has fault in this its not all Macs fault. Mary Rose, Mack and grandma. Mac was not a criminal either and bitterness towards him is unfair for that reason.

When one of those two is not old enough to consent then it only takes one and that one is legally responsible for their actions.

I don't recall her exact age, but wasn't she still fairly close to his age? 16-17 to his 20? I comprehend that some people feel this is more vile than others. It certainly beats Creepy Utterback being early 30's to Denise's 17 or whatever.

It has nothing to do with feelings, the statute is what matters, and according to the statute that is rape.

It was a different time back then. Couples their ages often dated and married. This was common into the 70s when I was a teen. I had several female classmates that married older guys and finished school married. They weren’t shotgun weddings either.

I'm sure the relationship broke down because the daughter was never genuine when it came to Mac. She came off like a gold digger to me looking for a pay day. She was firm when she said her life was "settled" and that she had a man she considers her father. When she said she could make room I have a feeling she meant for Mac's $$.



I did not get this impression from the small bit that we saw of her in the reunion update. And she didn’t ask to be found so this seems like a leap based on how little we know about her.

My guess is, based on the fact that no daughter is mentioned in Mac’s obituary, that as you said his attempt to have a relationship with Sherry broke down irretrievably at some point.

It was a different time back then. Couples their ages often dated and married. This was common into the 70s when I was a teen. I had several female classmates that married older guys and finished school married. They weren’t shotgun weddings either.

This; my parents had a large disparity in age, far more than the four years between McDonald and Carr. Not supporting it, and Carr's mother had every right to be protective of her daughter, but the reality is that those relationships were far more common in that era (Marilyn Monroe was 16 when she married her 21 year old neighbor).

I'm not surprised that the relationship between McDonald and Blackman didn't work out, given that she had a stable, supportive father in her life.

I did not get this impression from the small bit that we saw of her in the reunion update. And she didn’t ask to be found so this seems like a leap based on how little we know about her.

My guess is, based on the fact that no daughter is mentioned in Mac’s obituary, that as you said his attempt to have a relationship with Sherry broke down irretrievably at some point.

You have a point, but the fact UM kept saying how much Mac was worth was a selling point for her to decide to be "found". Just my opinion.

I recall another case where it seems there was a breakdown after a "happy reunion". The John Elias and Eleanor Platt search for (Sally) Rose Marie Platt segment. I noticed in Rose Marie's obituary there is absolutely no mention of a child or grand children. John's obituary mentions his other kids and grandkids but not Sally (Rose Marie) or her children.

Sometimes these reunions simply don't work out even in the best of circumstances.

You have a point, but the fact UM kept saying how much Mac was worth was a selling point for her to decide to be "found". Just my opinion.

I recall another case where it seems there was a breakdown after a "happy reunion". The John Elias and Eleanor Platt search for (Sally) Rose Marie Platt segment. I noticed in Rose Marie's obituary there is absolutely no mention of a child or grand children. John's obituary mentions his other kids and grandkids but not Sally (Rose Marie) or her children.

Sometimes these reunions simply don't work out even in the best of circumstances.

There is another angle to our speculation about these issues based on obituaries.

Its very common for people to not write their own obituaries. When my grandfather died he had not written his own. And my grandmother had, but had done so over 2 decades in advance, and thus had inaccurate information (missing more than one grandchild, etc.) We were left to write them, under considerable pressures of time and while bereaved.

So obituaries are often written by some relative or amalgamation of relatives. Depending on family history, who's on what side, etc. that can be a tricky process.

In these types of situations it is certainly possible a relative who felt no connection to the found members or harbored feelings of resentment simply left them out of the obituary.

In the case of Mac I rather doubt this happened, but something like that might well explain Platt.

There is another angle to our speculation about these issues based on obituaries.

Its very common for people to not write their own obituaries. When my grandfather died he had not written his own. And my grandmother had, but had done so over 2 decades in advance, and thus had inaccurate information (missing more than one grandchild, etc.) We were left to write them, under considerable pressures of time and while bereaved.

So obituaries are often written by some relative or amalgamation of relatives. Depending on family history, who's on what side, etc. that can be a tricky process.

In these types of situations it is certainly possible a relative who felt no connection to the found members or harbored feelings of resentment simply left them out of the obituary.

In the case of Mac I rather doubt this happened, but something like that might well explain Platt.

What are the odds Platt would be left out of BOTH obituaries though? I definitely think she was omitted on purpose in both John and Eleanor's obituaries.

With Mac I think the relationship with him and his daughter simply never got off the ground. She didn't seem excited and almost seemed like it was an inconvenience. She came off very cold.

[QUOTE=MediaHoarder;6160549]It has nothing to do with feelings, the statute is what matters, and according to the statute that is rape.[/QUOTE


yeah because her mother was vendictive. i'm not sure it was then or not i know lot people married at those ages. she still chased after him . talk about fast girl.

This; my parents had a large disparity in age, far more than the four years between McDonald and Carr. Not supporting it, and Carr's mother had every right to be protective of her daughter, but the reality is that those relationships were far more common in that era (Marilyn Monroe was 16 when she married her 21 year old neighbor).

I'm not surprised that the relationship between McDonald and Blackman didn't work out, given that she had a stable, supportive father in her life.

and a vindictive mother and grandmother who passed there bitterness on to her.

There is another angle to our speculation about these issues based on obituaries.

Its very common for people to not write their own obituaries. When my grandfather died he had not written his own. And my grandmother had, but had done so over 2 decades in advance, and thus had inaccurate information (missing more than one grandchild, etc.) We were left to write them, under considerable pressures of time and while bereaved.

So obituaries are often written by some relative or amalgamation of relatives. Depending on family history, who's on what side, etc. that can be a tricky process.

In these types of situations it is certainly possible a relative who felt no connection to the found members or harbored feelings of resentment simply left them out of the obituary.

In the case of Mac I rather doubt this happened, but something like that might well explain Platt.


thats because when your dead you can not write one.

I did not get this impression from the small bit that we saw of her in the reunion update. And she didn’t ask to be found so this seems like a leap based on how little we know about her.

My guess is, based on the fact that no daughter is mentioned in Mac’s obituary, that as you said his attempt to have a relationship with Sherry broke down irretrievably at some point.

there nasty ness to Mac was uncalled for. Least he was big enough to make it right and they were not. This is what happens when you past hate down to your kids instead of for give ness. this 16 year old tried playing house with and she just guilty for the situation as her mother was.

there nasty ness to Mac was uncalled for. Least he was big enough to make it right and they were not. This is what happens when you past hate down to your kids instead of for give ness. this 16 year old tried playing house with and she just guilty for the situation as her mother was.

He impregnated an underage girl whose parents made it clear he was not allowed near her.

That’s rape.

Takes two to tango, as the old saying goes. Mary Helen wasn't blameless in this by a long shot.

Takes two to tango, as the old saying goes. Mary Helen wasn't blameless in this by a long shot.

exactly! nor was her mother.

He impregnated an underage girl whose parents made it clear he was not allowed near her.

That’s rape.

please it takes too to make a baby. and she chased after him when he got away. she is not innocent by a long shot nor was her mother.

I agree. No one forced her to see Mac or to run away with him.

You can't have a constructive conversation with a person who refuses to take off their 2023 PC glasses. Ugh. Tired of these types.

You can't have a constructive conversation with a person who refuses to take off their 2023 PC glasses. Ugh. Tired of these types.

How is pointing out the law AT the time, looking through 2023 PC glasses?

I never said Mary Helen didn’t pursue him. She had teenage responsibility in this situation. But Mac had adult responsibility. And those are very different.

My point is that he was the adult and breaking the law. She was a teenager and broke the law by running away. Those are very difficult levels of culpability.

Did she run to him? Of course she did. But he was the adult and knew her parents (and the law) were against the relationship. And he started it anyway.

Is there guilt on both sides? Of course. But when dealing with a legal adult and a legal child, the legal adult has far more responsibility. There’s a reason kids have their own legal system. And that is because they have a different level of culpability than adults.

As for Mary Helen’s mother, I don’t think it’s unreasonable that she sent the cops to get her underage daughter. She used the tools she had at hand to get her child back.

And this isn’t about age differences in general. I know plenty of couple with bigger age differences. They just didn’t start when one of them was underage.

But you are not taking into account that to many, their age difference was perfectly acceptable back then. More people overlooked that law in those days than wanted it enforced. Grandma, once she knew her daughter was pregnant by Mac, should have encouraged the couple to be together, it was what they both wanted. Rather than make the best of the situation, grandma comes off as petty and vindictive. And apparently her daughter and granddaughter turned out the same way.

As I've already noted, their difference in age wasn't that great. If he was 20 and she was 13, then yes, I'd have a much bigger problem with this. Some parts of the country even have laws in place to deal with these grey areas when a young couple is barely straddling either side of the age of consent.

It seems to me that this young couple truly loved each other at the time. It's difficult to turn off emotions just because the law draws this invisible line in the sand. The difference in maturity between a 16 year old girl and a 20 year old guy is negligible. I don't consider Mac to be a predator, and we certainly have seen no proof that he continued to prey on underaged girls as he grew older. I fully understand that the law is/was the law, but I also consider human emotions as being important in a case such as this. If an old pervert tries to take a child bride Warren Jeffs-style, then yes, there's an incredibly huge problem with that. It damn well should inspire anger and full punishment by the law. If a 20 year old and a 16 year old fall in love (or at least truly believe that themselves at the time), it needs to be considered a little less severely. I understand that you disagree, but this is my opinion on it, and several jurisdictions share in that opinion.

If there is undeniable proof that said 20 year old is going after several 16 year old girls, then that is a completely different scenario altogether. Throw the book at that guy.

But you are not taking into account that to many, their age difference was perfectly acceptable back then. More people overlooked that law in those days than wanted it enforced. Grandma, once she knew her daughter was pregnant by Mac, should have encouraged the couple to be together, it was what they both wanted. Rather than make the best of the situation, grandma comes off as petty and vindictive. And apparently her daughter and granddaughter turned out the same way.

exactly. least Mac took his side of blame. He was the big person.