Karen Grassle took a step back from being associated with Little House on the Prairie after leaving the show following season 8. "I had limited my interactions with fans very much. I really didn't go to many events. I didn't hang out with everybody. I separated myself," Grassle, 83, told People in an interview published on Wednesday, December 17. "[I later thought], 'I've got to get out there.' I started with social media, and I started going out to these events. I was astonished at what I learned about people's affection for the character of Caroline.