Introduction
Rod Stewart’s Regrets, Resilience & Rebirth: A Life of Love, Loss and Legacy
Rod Stewart, at nearly 80, is opening up like never before—reflecting on regrets, embracing resilience, and charting new paths in his personal and professional life.
💔 A Father’s Regret and Reconciliation
Perhaps the deepest sorrow Stewart carries is the loss of precious time with his firstborn, Sarah Streeter, whom he reluctantly placed for adoption at age 17. Reuniting decades later, he admitted he was “too young, too immature to be a father” during her formative years. Though they eventually reconnected, he confesses the guilt still stings—”I never wanted her to think I abandoned her.”
Stewart’s emotional vulnerability resurfaced during interviews when discussing Sarah and son Sha’s struggles with addiction. “Seeing your children battle that makes you feel helpless,” he shared, “I always wonder—what could I have done differently?” Sha’s 2008 appearance on Celebrity Rehab had a profound impact on Stewart’s personal reckoning.
💔 Lost Love & Lingering Pain
Romantic heartbreak also lingers in his heart, particularly the end of his 16-year marriage to Rachel Hunter in 2006. In a 2019 interview, Stewart admitted the split left him “devastated.” He confesses the breakup shook not only his sense of love but also strained relationships with their children, Renee and Liam, during their youth.
💔 Grief Beyond Blood
The Stewart family recently mourned the tragic loss of Christina Artukovich—sister-in-law to his son—in April 2025 at just 38. Her sudden passing “revived the fragile nature of life,” Stewart reflected, alongside wife Penny Lancaster’s expression of “deepest condolences.”
🎤 A Storied Career of Triumph & Trials
Born in London in 1945, Stewart began as a street musician, mastering harmonica and vocals. Rising from bands like The Dimensions and Jeff Beck Group, to achieving solo superstardom in the early ’70s with Maggie May and Every Picture Tells a Story, he solidified his place in rock history. His distinct voice and genre-blending style have secured him two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions and a knighthood in 2016.
Despite setbacks—like being fired in 1966 or criticism over plagiarism—Stewart persevered. His 2024 album, Swing Fever, soared to No. 1 in the UK, and a country album is slated for 2026. Nearing 80, he boldly declares, “I never want to retire… I’ll sing until I can’t sing anymore.”
❤️ A Legacy of Love & Giving
Rod’s focus has changed—family now reigns supreme. He cherishes vacations with his eight children and supports his eldest son Alistair’s Olympic swim training with a home pool. Beneath the larger-than-life persona lies a man investing actively in family and health—working out weekly, beating thyroid and prostate cancer, and funding charities like Penny for London and the RNIB.
He dreams of being remembered not just for the hits, but for using his platform to improve lives. “I want people to say I used my fame for good,” he told the Korea Herald.
Rod Stewart emerges in his late 70s not only as a timeless artist, but as a man reconciling regrets, nurturing new beginnings, and laying the groundwork for a legacy of love—not just musical, but profoundly human.