38. She Started Going Into Free Fall
You see, there was a chilling reason for Christina's new lease on life. Aristotle's passing had hit her so hard—she'd cut her wrist. This prompted the doctor to prescribe an antidepressant for her. While the pill helped, it left her feeling exhausted, so she started taking other substances to overcome the side effects. The consequences were dire.
39. She Became An Addict
Over time, Christina's addictions became utterly dangerous. She even had to hire a nurse to give her injections as the pills weren’t potent enough anymore. She felt caught in a vicious cycle; her mood swings were back and she started feeling suicidal again. Who knows what may have happened if she hadn’t met a certain someone at this point.
40. Someone Saved Her
Perhaps Aristotle had pulled some strings from up above because the next man Christina fell for was a Greek, whose family had made their fortunes in the shipping business. It was love at first sight for Christina Onassis and Alexander Andreadis and they announced their engagement just eight days after they met. But would their love last longer than their engagement?
41. She Married Again
It seemed like Christina always tired of something as soon as she got it. At least, that’s how it had been with Bolker, and unfortunately, Andreadis would face the same fate. After the wedding, the honeymoon didn’t even last a month. People soon saw them quarreling in public and it looked far more serious than a harmless spat. And that wasn't all.
The couple might have divorced in two months flat if Christina hadn't felt uncomfortable leaving Andreadis when his family was going through a rough patch. At the time, they were under investigation for embezzlement. However, her patience had its limits—and after 13 months of marriage, she divorced him.
42. She Took Another Chance
While everyone knew that Christina fell in love easily (and often with the wrong people), no one could have guessed that her next beau would be a Russian Communist. Sergei Kauzov was one of her business contacts in Russia, but she felt unusually drawn to him. She enjoyed bantering with him and probably felt attracted to him because he seemed so out of reach.
Kauzov was Russian, a KGB agent, and a member of Soviet Communist party, as well as being a husband and father. None of these were enough to deter Christina though, and they were soon having an illicit affair. A few months later, she asked him to marry her.
43. She Thought Third Time Might Be The Charm
So determined was Christina to marry Kauzov, she did the unthinkable: She offered to pay off his wife so that she’d agree to a divorce. There was no need for this though; the divorce came through and Christina got to plan her ridiculously lavish ceremony. Unfortunately, the seeds of discontent had already been planted. You see, by the time her wedding date rolled around, Christina had already lost interest in husband-to-be.
44. Her Interest Waned
Christina tried living in Moscow for a bit but realized it wasn’t for her. Kauzov agreed to a divorce as long as she settled him and his mother in Europe. And boy, he got the best deal imaginable. They divorced around two years later, and Christina bought him two ships worth over $7 million. However, their relationship wasn't truly over. On the contrary, Kauzov stayed in touch with her for several years, and very intimately too.
But he wasn’t the only one mooching off Christina.
45. She Liked Control
Christina used her money to keep certain people tethered to her. She “hired” Luis Basualdo and his girlfriend as her companions for a whopping $360,000 a year. However, this meant Basualdo literally danced to her tune. He made love to her whenever her heart desired and did everything she asked him to do. Basualdo milked the arrangement too, charging her extra for every little thing.
For instance, he expected $500 for bringing the neighbor’s cat to play with her dog. Of course, they weren’t the only ones Christina dangled her purse over.
46. She Exchanged Favors But It Didn’t Always Work
Christina was willing to do anything to keep people close to her. Apart from lending long-time friends, the Doderos, $4 million interest-free so they’d be bound to party with her and spend time with her whenever she wanted, Onassis also lent $50,000 to Nicky Mavroleon, a young man she felt attracted to. Initially, feeling obligated by the payment, Mavroleon spent three months with her—but it only led to lies and heartbreak.
When Mavroleon tried to break it off with Christina, she claimed she was pregnant with his child. Of course, this was a blatant lie, and she eventually confessed the truth. Moments like this only sent her reeling back into a depressive state.
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47. She Battled Depression
Christina had plenty of demons to fight. She’d gained a lot of weight in Russia—because of Russian cola and caviar—which she still hadn’t lost. Mavroleon's rejection dealt another blow to her self-esteem, and afterward, she became completely dependent on anti-depressants and amphetamines again. This led to some erratic behavior.
48. She Lost It
Slowly but surely, Christina's life began to implode, and her eccentric routines certainly mirrored her distress. She’d dance all night long, and when it came to household, she made ridiculous rules: No one could go to bed before her, and nobody could sleep with one another. In fact, she even made her maid Eleni smell everyone’s bedsheets every day to ensure everyone's celibacy.
Headed straight for the deep end, Christina teetered on the brink of a mental breakdown.
49. An Old Flame Walked Back In Her Life
Christina was nothing if not consistent. She still held a torch for Frenchman Thierry Roussel whom she’d known since childhood. When she met his dad, she decided to call him and see if he was still unavailable. To her delight, he wasn’t. They talked every day and when she confessed that she’d gained weight, he had the perfect solution.
50. She Got The Guy
Roussel told Christina about a Parisian health clinic where she could shed the pounds. In fact, he made a horrifying deal with her: If she lost 80 lbs, he would marry her. Sounds like such a catch, this man. Since our girl Christina had the self-esteem of a flea, she agreed and within a few weeks, she looked better than ever before. She was thinner, her teeth shone, and her hair was sleek and healthy.
Roussel found her pretty desirable, though I’m guessing her hefty purse helped too. The stage was set for yet another wedding.
51. She Married Again
Christina and Roussel tied the knot just three weeks after their engagement. She lost another 20 lbs. to fit in her $10,000 dress and married him in a civil ceremony to seal the deal. Although the bride looked radiant, and the groom very happy, it was Christina's $10 million gift to her husband that wowed the guests the most. Roussel was eager to make other changes in Christina's life too.
He upgraded her plane, her house, and she charged him with taking care of Skorpios Island too. More than ever before, she seemed more inclined to concentrate on her “wifely duties.”
52. She Got The Best News
Soon, Christina got the news she’d been waiting for: She was pregnant. She got off all of her medications cold turkey, and stayed in bed for most of the nine months, not wanting to jinx anything. She also hired a French gynecologist to ensure a safe delivery. Basualdo was still her errand boy and she sent him to pay the doctor. She also spent hours talking to him to stay calm.
53. She Was Over The Moon
Finally, in January 1985, Christina gave birth to her first child, a daughter whom she named Athina. The baby was her pride and joy, and she hired two nannies and a guard to watch over little Athina constantly. However, she soon discovered something that robbed her of her happiness. Apparently, Roussel had started secretly seeing his old girlfriend.
54. She Came Crashing Down
The affair was serious enough that Roussel had another baby with his girlfriend, just six months after Athina’s birth. Though Christina kicked him out of the house in the beginning, she allowed him to return, hoping to resolve the issue. Well, that didn't change a thing. Roussel went ahead and betrayed Christina again, welcoming another baby with the very same girlfriend.
Our heiress finally caught on to the fact that Roussel was a waste of space, and divorced him. But she couldn't get rid of him that easily.
55. She Couldn't Let Him Go
Unfortunately, Christina Onassis had an unhealthy obsession with several unfortunate vices. Her love for Coca-Cola was still so strong that she sent her ten-seater plane to New York every week to bring back 100 bottles of Coke. Similarly, she remained addicted to Roussel. After divorcing him, she decided she wanted him back, even if that meant sharing him with his girlfriend. Sigh. Oh, Christina.
56. She Came Up With A Plan
Depressed after her divorce, Christina gained back the weight she'd lost and returned to the addictions she'd given up while pregnant. However, she had a plan, and yes, it was as crazy as they come. She wanted another child with Roussel and asked him to supply her with his seed so she could have one. Of course, Roussel, always the cad, agreed when Christina sweetened the deal with a $160,000 Ferrari.
She even told him she’d pay another $10 million once Baby Number Two arrived.
57. She Wanted Change
Christina wanted to make a fresh start with Athina, and she longed to give her the life she’d always dreamed of. She decided to move to Buenos Aires to find a big house with a huge outdoor space. She would stay with her old friends, the Doderos,’ until she found the perfect fit. Little did she know, Christina would never live to see her dreams come true.
58. She Met A Sudden End
A week or so after she’d arrived in Buenos Aires, Christina began complaining about feeling a bit chilly. Since she’d been out walking barefoot in the early morning, she figured she might have caught a cold. She called Athina that evening and seemed extremely happy after talking to her and planning her upcoming visit. They even decided they’d buy a pony for her.
The next morning, wondering why her friend was taking longer than usual to come down, Marina Dodero went to her room, only to discover Christina's half-dressed body in the tub. She’d passed on November 1978, just a month before her 38th birthday, in the midst of planning a new life with her beloved daughter.
59. Her Passing Raised Questions
According to the autopsy, Christina had passed because of pulmonary edema, just like her mom. However, her friends and family had their own theories. Some believed it was her many addictions, while some thought her terrible diet had pushed her body to its limit. Be that as it may, the truth was that Christina Onassis had passed. Her friends took her remains to Greece and buried her on Skorpios, next to her father and brother.
60. Her Legacy Lives On
While Christina's name seemed to disappear with her passing, her daughter Athina took it up later when she became a competitive showjumper and represented Greece in the Championships. Her father and stepmother raised her, while a board set up by her mother controlled her considerable fortune until she came of age. Now 37, Athina is a renowned equestrian, but she keeps a low profile.
Her marriage ended in divorce, but this seems to be the only thing that the current Onassis heiress has in common with her famous mother.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,
