You probably remember the face. Even if the name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, anyone who lived through the teen-idol explosion of the 70s or the gritty TV detective era of the 80s knows exactly who Patti Carnel is. Or at least, they think they do.
She was the woman who lived at the center of a whirlwind, married to two of the most famous men on the planet: Bobby Sherman and David Soul. But for decades, she’s been something of a ghost in the Hollywood archives. It's led to a surge in a very specific question lately: is Patti Carnel still alive?
The short answer is yes. As of early 2026, there have been no public reports of her passing. However, she’s become a master of the "disappearing act," choosing a life of absolute privacy over the flashbulbs that once defined her youth.
The Mystery of Patti Carnel Today
Honestly, it’s kinda impressive how well she’s stayed off the grid. In an era where everyone has a digital footprint the size of a yeti's, Patti has managed to keep her current life under lock and key.
We know she was born around 1952. That would put her in her mid-70s today. While the internet loves a good rumor, the lack of an obituary or a public statement from her family—including her sons Tyler and Christopher Sherman—points toward her living a quiet, private life.
She isn't on Instagram. She isn't doing "where are they now" specials on cable TV. She’s just... living.
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Why People Are Asking Now
Interest in her status spiked recently for a couple of reasons. First, the entertainment world lost David Soul in January 2024. He was her second husband, the "Hutch" to Paul Michael Glaser's "Starsky." When a major icon like that passes, people naturally look back at their former partners.
Then, in June 2025, the news broke that Bobby Sherman, her first husband and the man who once made every teenage girl in America scream, had passed away at age 81 after a battle with cancer.
When the men who were the suns in your solar system are gone, the spotlight tends to wander back to you. Fans of the "Shermanator" and Starsky & Hutch die-hards started digging, wondering if the woman who shared those intense years with them was still around.
A Life Defined by Highs and Terrifying Lows
To understand why she might want to stay hidden, you have to look at what she went through.
Her marriage to Bobby Sherman in 1971 was basically the royal wedding of the pop-rock world. They were young, beautiful, and under massive pressure. They had two sons, but by 1979, the "teen idol" lifestyle had taken its toll, and they divorced.
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Then came the David Soul era.
If her time with Bobby was a whirlwind of fame, her time with David was much darker. They married in 1980. It wasn't the fairy tale the tabloids painted. David struggled with severe alcoholism and a volatile temper. In a piece of history that still shocks fans, Soul was actually ordered to attend therapy and anger management after an incident where he attacked Patti while she was seven months pregnant.
They divorced in 1986.
Can you blame her for wanting to vanish after that? She spent fifteen years as the wife of men who couldn't walk down the street without a riot, and she dealt with personal trauma that most of us can't imagine.
Sorting Fact from Fiction
There is a lot of junk information out there. If you search for her, you might find old obituaries for people with similar names, but don’t be fooled.
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- Patti Carnel Sherman is her most common legal name in records.
- She has stayed close to her sons, who have largely protected her privacy.
- Unlike many ex-wives of famous stars, she never wrote a "tell-all" book.
She studied interior decoration and psychology back in the day at San Fernando Valley Junior College. It’s widely believed she leaned into those interests or other quiet pursuits once the Hollywood dust settled.
The Takeaway on Patti Carnel’s Status
Basically, Patti Carnel is a survivor. She lived through the peak of 70s mania and the darker side of 80s celebrity culture.
If you're looking for a definitive "proof of life" photo from 2026, you won't find one. And that’s probably exactly how she wants it. She’s earned the right to be a private citizen.
What you can do next:
If you're a fan of that era, the best way to respect her legacy is to look at the charitable work her sons or Bobby Sherman were involved with, such as the Bobby Sherman Volunteer EMT Foundation. It’s a better use of energy than hunting for a woman who clearly doesn't want to be found.
Stay skeptical of any "breaking news" about her health unless it comes from a primary source like a major news outlet or an official family statement. Most of what you see on social media is just noise.