During an installment of the reality TV show, The Family Stallone, which premiered on Paramount+ recently, emotions ran high as Sophia Rose Stallone, the eldest daughter of Sylvester Stallone, candidly discussed her childhood health challenges.
The 26-year-old has a congenital heart defect, and her condition took a severe turn when she was just two months old. Her medical condition was characterized by shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, and fainting spells.
Sophia Rose Stallone says her mother, Jennifer Flavin, explored every means to get her diagnosis
Sophia stated that despite her parent trying their best to book an appointment for her with different physicians, all their efforts proved abortive at first as none of them knew what was wrong with her, which often resulted in a misdiagnosis.
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However, it took her mother’s unrelenting spirit to find a physician who later diagnosed her with a hole in her heart.
Sophia Stallone says the surgery was traumatic for her family
Sophia explained that upon her diagnosis, her parents found ways of helping her live as normal as possible until she fainted during a volleyball game at 16. This turn of events necessitated her to undergo an open heart surgery. “The moment I found out I needed an operation was one of the most pivotal experiences of my entire life because I never had to consider death before,” Sophia recalled how she felt when she got the news.
Sophia claimed that news about her surgery took a toll on her parents. Her mom had rashes all over her body, while her father found it difficult to converse with her without becoming emotional. She also added that her parents’ reaction also affected her as it led to a feeling of uncertainty about the outcome of the surgery. The cascade of events made her have PTSD following the procedure.