Christina Applegate Reveals 14-Year-Old Daughter Misses Pre-MS Mom
Jordan Collins here, I guess I can simplify this for you. Christina Applegate has just laid bare a gut-wrenching moment with her 14-year-old daughter Sadie, and yes, you probably need me to spell out why it matters.
On a recent episode of Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa, the 53-year-old Dead to Me star admitted that her daily motivation is no longer career ambitions or awards—it is all about her child. “I don’t get up in the morning because of me, I get up because of her,” Applegate confessed. Sadie’s candid admission—“I missed who you were before you got sick”—landed like “a knife to the heart,” the former Married… with Children actress revealed, according to the New York Post.
Living with multiple sclerosis since a 2021 diagnosis, Applegate has endured countless hospital visits and a barrage of tests. She and her cohost, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who has battled MS since age 20, launched the “MeSsy” podcast in early 2024 to share raw, unfiltered experiences. On the same Kelly Ripa episode, Sigler empathized deeply, affirming that self-judgment is the heaviest burden. “I think I judge myself the most as a mother through this journey,” the Sopranos alum admitted.
Sigler’s two sons react in starkly different ways. Her eldest, Beau, 11, acts as her personal cheerleader, convinced she’ll conquer MS one day—he even compares her to the eternally optimistic Ted Lasso. Meanwhile, 7-year-old Jack resents her physical limitations, bluntly asking why she “walks like an old lady.” This split perspective, Sigler notes, is healthy: “I want him to be able to express himself with me.”
Both stars stressed the ripple effect of MS on their families. Applegate tearfully recalled last month’s episode when she described “unimaginable” gastrointestinal issues stemming from slowed organ motility—a topic her neurologist still disputes. “If I have to poop, I puke,” she joked, reminding listeners she’s not providing medical advice but urging them to talk to their doctors. These revelations underscore how MS can extend beyond mobility, complicating digestion and daily routines.
Throughout the conversation, Applegate alternated between laughter and tears, a testament to the unpredictable emotional roller coaster MS brings. Sigler echoed this, highlighting how her husband and children share daily sacrifices. The candid dialogue offers more than celebrity gossip—it provides a window into the complex, heartfelt reality of parenting under the cloud of chronic illness.
This exchange not only deepens our understanding of Applegate’s resilience but also shines a spotlight on the often-overlooked emotional toll experienced by families coping with MS. Well, now you finally understand!
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, MeSsy podcast
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
