Love stories that withstand the test of time never fail to captivate our hearts, and the tale of Heather Dubrow and Dr. Terry Dubrow perfectly encapsulates this. After almost three decades, their love has not only endured but has grown stronger.
Let’s trace back to where it all began and uncover how the star of Real Housewives of Orange County found her match in the skilled hands of an American plastic surgeon.
Heather Dubrow: From Actress to Reality TV Star
Heather Dubrow, born on January 5, 1969, and has a height of 5 feet and 8 inches (172.7 cm), is a prominent American actress and television personality rooted in her Bronx birthplace and upbringing in Chappaqua, New York.
Her heritage, tracing back to Germany, Hungary, and Poland, shapes her as a fifth-generation American of Jewish ancestry. She attended Syracuse University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1990.
Heather Dubrow is an American actress who rose to fame for starring in The Real Housewives of Orange County (Credit: ACE / INFphoto)
The 54-year-old’s journey in the spotlight began with her portrayal of Lydia DeLucca in the CBS series That’s Life from 2000 to 2002.
Her acting talents paved her way to television, but her claim to fame skyrocketed when she became a Bravo reality TV series cast member.
Heather Dubrow is taller than Keltie Knight, with Heather standing at 5 feet 8 inches (172.7 cm) and Keltie at 5 feet 6 inches (167.6 cm) (Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock)
Over seven seasons since her debut in 2012, she became a staple of The Real Housewives of Orange County’s dynamic.
After a hiatus since leaving the show on its 11th season, she rejoined the cast for the 16th season in 2021 and continues her journey into the 17th season.
The Real Housewives of Orange County’s Vicki Gunvalson, Shannon Beador, Heather Dubrow, and Tamra Judge at the 2015 NBC Universal Cable Entertainment Upfront (Credit: Jennifer Graylock / INFphoto)
Beyond television, Heather and her husband Terry Dubrow also ventured into hosting and producing their show “The Seven Year Stitch” for E!, which premiered in March 2022.
As a woman of influence, Heather also finds connections through media. Her lifestyle podcast, “Heather Dubrow’s World,” allows her to engage with her audience personally.
In 1999, Heather exchanged vows with plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow, and together, they built a life in Orange County, California, raising four children.
Plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow and wife Heather Dubrow, pictured at the 2023 Harold & Carole Pump Foundation Gala, tied the knot in 1999 (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Terry Dubrow: The Plastic Surgeon Who’s Been on Botched and Botched by Nature
Towering 5 feet and 7 inches (170 cm), Terry Dubrow, born on September 14, 1958, was raised in Los Angeles to Laura and Alvin Dubrow. His older brother, Kevin, led the renowned band Quiet Riot.
The 64-year-old is an accomplished American plastic and reconstructive surgeon and a familiar face on television. Notably, he’s a frequent guest on various TV shows, including Dr. Oz and The Swan. He also performed surgical procedures on the Bridalplasty reality series in 2011.
You might recognize him from his appearances on popular shows like Botched, where he co-hosts with Paul Nassif, and its spin-off series Botched by Nature. He’s also a part of The Real Housewives of Orange County alongside his wife, Heather.
Terry Dubrow is a well-known American plastic surgeon and television personality who has appeared on shows such as Botched and The Real Housewives of Orange County (Credit: JENNIFER GRAYLOCK / INSTARimages)
His medical prowess extends beyond the screen. He earned his medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, and holds a master’s degree from Yale University.
He underwent rigorous training, completing a residency in general surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and a fellowship in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the UCLA Medical Center.
Terry is a trusted professional with board certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery and membership in the American College of Surgeons.
Outside the operating room, Terry and Heather are known for promoting the “Dubrow Diet,” a trendy eating plan based on intermittent fasting. Terry is also a successful self-help author, with his books becoming best-sellers.
Terry Dubrow is also a self-help author with best-selling books (Credit: Tony DiMaio / startraksphoto)
Heather and Terry’s Magical Love Story From a Blind Date
Heather and Terry’s love story began unexpectedly – with a blind date that would forever shape their lives. Contrary to any expectations, their initial meeting wasn’t a planned consultation or a scripted encounter but a destined twist of fate that led them together.
In a November 2015 episode of her podcast, Heather Dubrow’s World, she revealed that their first meeting didn’t set off fireworks, recalling, “He wasn’t really my type, but you know, I was like, ‘We’ll see.’ Dark hair, didn’t dress well, needed help as most men do.”
Terry’s transportation choice didn’t align with her New York sensibilities, adding, “He drove a Porsche. Where I come from in New York, people didn’t have flashy cars.”
Heather Dubrow first met her husband Terry Dubrow on a blind date at Santa Monica’s Ivy at the Shore restaurant (Credit: Freddie Baez / startraksphoto)
Despite their unconventional start, Heather and Terry continued to build a connection. Frequent phone conversations added a unique layer to their growing bond. Heather confessed, “On the phone, I was, like, in love. But then we’d hang out, and I’d go, ‘Yeah, I don’t know.'”
Following multiple dates, she reminisced about a pivotal moment: “He kisses me goodnight, and it was a different kiss. It was this magical kiss.”
Their relationship took another significant step during a phone call after this memorable kiss, with Heather recounting, “He goes, ‘You know what kissing you is like?’ And I said, ‘What?’ ‘You know how you’re a kid, and you wake up on Saturday morning, and you realize you don’t have to go to school, and you turn over, and you find that amazing place in the pillow again? That’s what it’s like to kiss you.’”
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A visit to Terry’s plastic surgery office brought a revelation for Heather. She confessed, “To me, the sexiest thing in the whole world is seeing someone in their element, you know, seeing him in like scrubs, and there’s, like, needles flying, and he’s walking around, and he’s in command of the place. It was a turn-on. It was sexy as hell.”
The peak of their journey arrived during a weekend getaway to San Francisco and Napa Valley. Heather said, “From the moment I saw him at the airport, it was over. I knew I was gonna marry him. It was like we were a married couple. It’s like, we saw each other, smiled, gave each other a kiss, and it was magical, and it was done.”
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In December 2016, Heather shared their serendipitous love story on Instagram, commemorating the anniversary of their blind date.
With gratitude to their matchmaking friends, Ari and Craig, she celebrated the life-changing moment, expressing, “20 years ago tonight I walked into this restaurant, had a blind date with this man and my life was changed forever.”
Heather Dubrow initially thought Terry wasn’t exactly her cup of tea until frequent phone conversations made her fall for him (Credit: Sara De Boer / startraksphoto)
How Heather and Terry Keep Their 24-Year Marriage Strong
After approximately three years since their first date, Heather and Terry tied the knot on June 5, 1999. Their bond remains unbreakable through the highs and lows of life, and with 24 years of marriage, the couple’s love has weathered storms.
Over time, Heather and Terry have gathered wisdom on nurturing a solid marriage. Heather emphasizes the significance of “date nights” and effective conflict resolution, while Terry believes in sharing projects to foster togetherness and excitement.
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In a February 2016 interview with Entertainment Tonight, he shared, “Find a way to work together if you can, even if it’s just a hobby — something… cooking, or exercising, or working in many projects like we do — this will keep you happy, this will keep you together, and this will keep you excited and interested.”
Recently, Heather celebrated their 24th anniversary with playful advice on Instagram, offering insights that resonate with couples everywhere.
Her post included a video from a photo shoot, where Heather is in a black minidress and ankle boots, and Terry is in a black suit with a white button-down shirt.
In the caption, she shared, “After 24 years of marriage, this is my advice for EVERYONE who wants a happy, strong, and successful marriage.”
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Her top tip is to “Have separate bathrooms ( funny, but true ).” Another piece of advice was to “date your spouse. Don’t stop going on dates… ever!”
She also suggested “letting things go” and added an essential tip for handling disagreements: “Don’t fight when you’re tired or with alcohol on board. (Trust me on this!).”
Reflecting on her years with Terry, Heather added, “Marriage is a leap of faith — but if you’re lucky and work hard at it you get to do life with your best friend and partner in crime! Like me & T.”
Navigating Challenges: Overcoming a Difficult Phase
After decades together, Heather and Terry’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. They faced a difficult phase when their busy schedules strained their communication.
In an exclusive interview with Page Six in March 2022, Heather shared, “We had one terrible, bad year where the show was affecting us. I think it may have been the first year Terry was on ‘Botched,’ and so we weren’t together a lot because I was doing ‘Housewives.’ I was having a bad season. He was on ‘Botched,’ he was having a good season. And we weren’t communicating. There was just a lot going on, and we had to have a real come-to-Jesus moment and sit down.”
Terry and Heather Dubrow went through a difficult period when their hectic schedules strained their communication (Credit: Jennifer Graylock / INFphoto)
Yet, they chose to confront the issue, reaffirming their commitment to one another and refusing to “get a divorce over being on TV. That’s not an acceptable thing to happen.”
Meanwhile, Terry’s perspective on their relationship reflects their resourcefulness and resilience. He confessed, “In our 25-year relationship, we have been through every struggle. Intimacy struggles when I felt bad about myself, financial struggles, we’ve had lost several millions of dollars. We’ve had other kinds of things with our family. All the big-ticket items, we have learned how to get through them. We have very significant resources at this point in our relationship.”
The Couple’s Journey on Parenthood and Embracing Change
Terry and Heather’s family blossomed with the addition of their four children: twins Nicholas and Maximillia, born in 2003; Katarina, born in 2006; and Ace, born in 2010. Their unique parenting styles merged to create a loving and trusting environment for their kids.
Heather Dubrow and her husband, Terry Dubrow, have four children together: Nicholas “Nick” Kent Dubrow, Maximillia “Max” Paige Dubrow, Katarina “Kat” Eve Dubrow, and Henry “Ace” Thomas Dubrow (Credit: Joe Seer / Shutterstock)
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly in February 2022, Heather shared, “Terry and I grew up very differently. His house was super permissive, and he could basically do what he wants. I grew up in a household where we were … on lockdown. With our kids, we’ve sort of taken the approach [of], ‘Look, we’ve given you all the tools. We trust you. And until you prove otherwise, we’re going to just continue to trust you.’ It has served us.”
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In March 2023, Heather took to social media to share that their youngest son, Ace, is transgender. She posted a picture on International Sons Day with “Ace” written in the sand, saying, “We love you, our youngest son, Ace ❤️.”
She emphasized the importance of providing Ace with a safe and supportive environment, adding, “Our job as parents is to give our kids a safe and supportive environment so they can grow up as healthy, happy, confident, independent humans. Since Ace is a 12-year-old child, with a long life ahead of him — we will let him tell his own story someday if he chooses to do so. All we can say is Ace, we love you so much and we are proud to be your parents. Your brother and sisters love and support you too.”
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In late 2022, Heather and Terry made a significant change. They sold their iconic Newport Beach mansion, Dubrow Chateau, for $55 million. As their kids headed to college, they downsized to a Los Angeles apartment, entering a new chapter of their lives.
The couple grappled with the transition as their children spread their wings. Heather spoke about this at BravoCon in October 2022, sharing their conversations about the future.
She said, “What I would say is, just like when you first get married and you’re having those conversations about where you’re gonna go, what you’re gonna do with your lives, we’re kind of having like a second moment of that. Like, ‘Oh my god, they’re almost gone. What are we gonna do? Where are we gonna go?’ And so we got this apartment as kind of our little pied-à-terre in B-H to see where we’re going next.”
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With her twins leaving for college, Heather shared her mixed emotions on RHOC Season 17 Episode 4, which aired in June 2023.
Reflecting on Max and Nick’s departure, she said, “I’m going to miss them terribly and not seeing them every day. They’re more than our two oldest kids, they’re really treasured friends.”
Terry summed it up as they navigate this new phase, saying, “This is the beginning of the end of our lives, in a way.”