Sarah Hyland is a name we’ve all known for a while- first from the hit ABC show Modern Family which aired in 2009, and then from the 2011 Disney Channel Original Movie Geek Charming. Both of these included her playing the part of the trendy, sophisticated “it” girl with the coolest clothes and the homecoming queen crown on top of her head. It’s a part she plays well because Hyland herself can often be found wearing outfits that make her look like a walking magazine cover. Additionally, she’s a genuine person, and hilarious, too — just look at this Instagram post about flu season she posted last month.
However, today Sarah Hyland showed us her emotional side as she shocked fans with news that she had a second kidney transplant recently, which is just one of the sixteen surgeries the 28 year old has had in her life. As Hyland told Self, she was born with kidney dysplasia, which means her kidneys didn’t fully develop in the womb and caused the growth of cysts to disrupt the function of these very vital organs. Kidneys, according to WebMD, are crucial because they remove wastes, such as blood and extra water, from the body so they can be excreted in the form of urine through the bladder. Although it was possible for Hyland to live with limited challenges due to her kidney dysplasia, she has experienced two kidney failures among other health issues, including depression.
It’s important for us as fans to realize what celebrities go through. We all look up to them as idols- but we have to remember that they’re human beings, too. They have skin that can break out and emotions that can run rampant and organs that can fail — just like all of us. Sarah Hyland showed us today that it’s “not shameful” to show your scars, and she even went so far as to step out of her comfort zone and lift up her shirt to show her scars, and she says “I think, personally, for someone being so tiny to have a stomach that looks like the New Jersey Turnpike just shows who I am and what kind of character I have”. By doing that, she proved to impressionable young minds that having scars doesn’t make you damaged or unworthy — even celebrities have them. The actress went through a time where she thought she might commit suicide. She stated, “When a family member gives you a second chance at life, and it fails, it almost feels like it’s your fault. It’s not. But it does. For a long time, I was contemplating suicide, because I didn’t want to fail my little brother like I failed my dad.”
Although Hyland was considering suicide for a time, she told her audience how she feels differently now that she’s grown from her experiences. She listed what she has to be thankful for — her newfound health, the people who surround and love her, her career — and her health problems can’t take any of that away.
Featured image Via Page Six