Sophia Rose Stallone had to undergo heart surgery at two months old. Her father, Sylvester Stallone, recalls the emotional moment one of his children was diagnosed with a hole in their heart.

Fans of the popular actor have been tuning in to see The Family Stallone, which shines a light into his family life, including his relationship with his five children. One of his daughters, Sophia Stallone, has a hole in her heart.

When Sophia underwent heart surgery, Sylvester Stallone was urged to “kiss his baby goodbye.” He became teary when recalling the “nightmare” moment with his daughter, who said she “kept it together” for her parents.

Sophia Stallone had heart surgery

Sylvester Stallone’s child Sophia underwent heart surgery at two months old. Doctors had diagnosed Sophia with a hole in her heart at two months, which led to her father “breaking down” as well as “everyone around her.”

She said, “I felt like I had to hold it together. I didn’t cry or worry about my heart surgery until the actual day when everyone left the room and I was alone, and then I felt like I could break down. I felt like, if I lose it, we’d all fall.”

Although the original procedure went well, Sophia Rose Stallone had to go back at age 16 due to a heart valve problem in 2012. She has had multiple heart surgeries, but 12 doctors initially had no idea what was wrong with her.

However, through “determination”, Sophia’s mom, Jennifer Flavin, finally “found a doctor that found the hole”. She lived her life normally until she was 16, and fainted while playing volleyball, before needing to have another operation.

Sylvester recalls ‘nightmare’ moment

Sylvester recalled Sophia’s first operation at two months. He said it was “such a nightmare,” and remembered the nurse holding his daughter and telling him: “Okay, kiss your baby goodbye.” Sylvester told the nurse, “Stop.”

He then claims he asked her to rephrase the sentence, and said: “This can’t be happening.” During a daddy-daughter date at a museum, Sophia said she feels PTSD from when she was 16 and got her second operation.

Sylvester agreed it was “devastating”. In a confessional, he added that it was “horrible.” He explained that Sophia was so “brave” and that they were all “falling apart” but she put on a “brave face,” while he was “scared to death.”

Sophia has yearly heart check-ups

Sophia now has to attend annual heart check-up appointments to ensure her heart is doing okay, which involves having a cardio consultation. Sylvester said that the family feels a “weight on their hearts” when she has the check-up.

They hope she won’t be told she’ll need another surgery. “That would be… devastating is too gentle of a word,” he said. Sophia went to her annual check-up and was told the patch over the hole in her heart is still in place.

“You’re great — your heart’s great,” Sophia’s doctor of 26 years told her, which was a huge relief for her and her entire family. “There’s no greater feeling,” her mom Jennifer responded to the news.

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