Jennifer Aniston may have called the late actor Daniel McDonald her "first love" but apparently she wasn't present during his time of need.
The 45-year-old "Cake" star recently opened up about her tragic first love in an interview with the New York Times in which she implied that McDonald could have been the love of her life had they been given more time.
“He would have been the one,” she told NY Times of the late actor. “But I was 25 and stupid. He must have sent me Justin to make up for it all.”
She and McDonald were in a relationship for five years until they broke things off in 1994. The actor, known for being a Broadway regular and guest-starring in several TV shows since 1984, passed away in 2007 at the age of 46 after a long battle with brain cancer.
However, Aniston's wistful recollection may have touched a nerve with Mujah Maraini-Melehi, McDonald's widow who slammed the "Friends" alum for her seemingly thoughtless comment.
“Please respect our love and especially our Loss,” Maraini-Melehi, who recently remarried, posted to Facebook (via New York Daily News). “The children lost their father. I lost my partner.”
Maraini-Melehi also criticized the actress for describing McDonald as a tragic lost love when, in fact, she was absent during McDonald's long battle with the illness that eventually took his life.
“I am sorry that Jennifer did not realize the treasure that was Daniel when she had the chance, long before he and I met and long before he died,” she continued in her post.
“It pains me to read the headlines that allude to her losing him tragically when she was not present during his long and difficult illness. That said perhaps Daniel’s gift was to teach her how to love and appreciate Justin Theroux.”
According to Maraini-Melehi, Aniston apparently didn't care enough about McDonald's passing and ignored the widow when she attempted to reach out to her following her husband's death.
“After Daniel died, I reached out to her to give her back all the photographs from the time they were together,” added Maraini-Melehi, who shared two children with McDonald. “I never got an answer back from her.”
Aniston, who was previously married to actor Brad Pitt, is now engaged to "The Leftovers" star Justin Theroux.