Editing Lionel Richie (section)

==Personal life==
[[File:Lionel Richie 2019.jpg|thumb|Richie performing in 2019]]
On October 18, 1975, Richie married his college sweetheart, Brenda Harvey. In 1983, the couple informally adopted Nicole Camille Escovedo (now [[Nicole Richie]]), the two-year-old daughter of a member of Richie's band, who is also the niece of drummer [[Sheila E]]. The Richies raised Nicole as their daughter and adopted her legally when she was nine years old.<ref>{{Cite web| url= https://www.biography.com/news/nicole-lionel-richie-adoption-story-real-parents| title= Nicole Richie's Surprising Adoption Story| first= Rachel| last= Chang| date= September 21, 2020| website= biography.com| access-date= March 15, 2021| archive-date= April 16, 2021| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210416001224/https://www.biography.com/news/nicole-lionel-richie-adoption-story-real-parents| url-status= live}}</ref>

In June 1988, Harvey was arrested and charged with corporal injury to a spouse, resisting arrest, trespassing, vandalism, battery, and disturbing the peace after she found Richie at Diane Alexander's Beverly Hills apartment.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 18, 1988|title=Summertime, and the Loving Is Anything but Easy for Lionel, Melvin and Stephanie| url= https://people.com/archive/summertime-and-the-loving-is-anything-but-easy-for-lionel-melvin-and-stephanie-vol-30-no-3/|first1=Michael |last1=Neill| first2=Angela | last2= Blessing| first3= Tina | last3=Johnson |first4= Dianna | last4= Waggoner| first5= Maria | last5= Wilhelm | first6= Cathy | last6= Nolan| journal=People|volume= 30| issue = 3}}</ref> 

Richie married Diane Alexander on December 21, 1995.{{cn|date=April 2025}} They have a son, Miles Richie and a daughter, [[Sofia Richie]]. The marriage ended in 2004.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.eonline.com/photos/5534/most-expensive-celeb-divorces/201132| title= Most Expensive Celeb Divorces > Lionel & Diane Richie| publisher= (slideshow) E! Online ([[NBC Universal]])| date= January 7, 2021| access-date= August 14, 2016| archive-date= August 9, 2016| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160809020227/http://www.eonline.com/photos/5534/most-expensive-celeb-divorces/201132| url-status= live}}</ref>

Richie suffered prolonged throat problems and had surgery four times in four years before being told by [[conventional medicine|conventional doctors]] that he could lose his singing career. He then turned to a [[holistic medicine|holistic doctor]] who said the problem was simply [[acid reflux]] caused by foods Richie was eating before going to bed.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/LIONEL+RICHIE-23253.html| title=Richie Thrilled With Acid Reflux Diagnosis| date=September 13, 2006| website=femalefirst.co.uk| access-date=June 4, 2020| archive-date=June 4, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604145808/https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/LIONEL+RICHIE-23253.html| url-status=live}}</ref>

Richie became a grandfather in 2008 when Nicole Richie gave birth to a baby girl with [[Joel Madden]], lead singer of the rock band [[Good Charlotte]]. Richie's second grandchild was born to the couple in 2009.<ref>{{cite magazine | first=Jessica | last= Herndon |url=https://people.com/parents/lionel-richie-sparrow-looks-just-like-harlow/ |title=Lionel Richie: 'Sparrow Looks Just Like Harlow'|date=September 13, 2009| magazine=People |access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref>

Richie is a [[Freemasonry|Freemason]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lodge Devotion 723 - Brother Lionel Richie |url=https://www.lodgedevotion.net/devotion-newsletter-content/editorial-educational-articles/some-famous-non-australian-freemasons/brother-lionel-richie |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=lodgedevotion.net |language=en-US |archive-date=November 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113021833/https://www.lodgedevotion.net/devotion-newsletter-content/editorial-educational-articles/some-famous-non-australian-freemasons/brother-lionel-richie |url-status=live }}</ref>

Richie helped to raise over $3.1&nbsp;million for the [[Breast Cancer Research Foundation]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Easy like Lionel Richie |date=December 6, 2011 |url=https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/12/easy-like-lionel-richie/ |website=harvard.edu |publisher=Harvard University |access-date=March 20, 2019 |archive-date=December 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201131713/https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/12/easy-like-lionel-richie/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Richie told the crowd that his grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 80s, but that she survived and lived until she was 103 years old. He stated that she was his enduring symbol of hope and his reason for becoming a breast cancer activist.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/1822-lionel-richie | title=Lionel Richie Charity Work | publisher= | website=LookToTheStars.org | access-date=March 17, 2012 | archive-date=March 18, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318134043/http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/1822-lionel-richie | url-status=live }}</ref>