Losing a child, regardless of their age—whether they are an adult or not yet born—is the worst thing that can happen in life.
This is something that Sylvester Stallone can personally speak to; it’s no secret that the renowned Hollywood actor lost his first child, Sage Stallone, in 2012.
The fact that Sasha Czack, Sage’s mother and Stallone’s ex-wife, had urged Sage to forego a significant dental procedure just weeks prior to his passing is possibly less well known.
Theories were numerous before the official cause of Sage’s abrupt and untimely death was revealed; they ranged from drugs to alcohol to suicide. However, the reality would turn out to be more devastating than anyone could have predicted.
Tough Upbringing, Tough Adulthood
Losing a kid is an indescribable situation. However, Sylvester “Rocky Balboa” Stallone had hardships even before his son passed away at the age of 36, an unimaginable tragedy.
Stallone was one of Hollywood’s most well-liked performers because his real life had many characteristics with the iconic Rocky Balboa role.
Sylvester was born rough, but he had to learn to be tough. It wasn’t easy to greet life, and he fought his way until the end. A portion of his tongue and chin were paralyzed due to a facial nerve that was cut due to an issue during his delivery.
Stallone’s signature snarl is actually the result of this exact tragedy and its aftermath. While it may be argued that this helped make him a popular public figure, the effect on a child was far from favorable.
No! Again, it’s birthday time! Fortunately, you simply need to be as old as you feel! Hey, as long as you never quit up, growing up is acceptable.
Published on Thursday, July 6, 2017 by Sylvester Stallone
Stallone was severely harassed because of his deformities, and he has said that he feels like “Mr. Potato Head” because parts of his face are positioned incorrectly. Stallone’s mother was chilly and barely “kissed him twice” during his entire childhood, while his father was violent, making it difficult for him to find a comfortable place to return home.
This, predictably, made Stallone a fairly troubled child. He was always getting himself into trouble. By the time he was twelve, he had already broken eleven bones and been expelled from thirteen schools for various offenses, including jumping off a roof while holding an umbrella.
Stallone’s career eventually took him to bodybuilding before moving on to acting. For years, Stallone barely made it through life before he achieved his amazing renown. He has talked of sleeping at the Port Authority in Manhattan and being homeless.
He wore only one coat to survive the bitterly cold New York winters during those difficult times. “That coat saved my life,” he said in an interview, reflecting on its significance.
After being cast in the first Rocky series in 1976, his life took a significant positive turn.
From poverty to wealth
Stallone met and wed his first wife, photographer and director Sasha Czack, much before he became famous and wealthy. They had two kids together: Sage (born in 1976) and Seargeoh (born in 1979).
He married model and actress Brigitte Nielsen later that year after Sylvester and Czack parted ways in 1985. They would regrettably end up divorcing after only two years of dating.
As they say, the third time is a charm. In 1997, Stallone wed model and businesswoman Jennifer Flavin, with whom he is married today and has three daughters: Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Stallone.
An Unexpected Death
Thus, it could be argued that Stallone’s life was filled with both highs and lows. No low, however, could ever match the moment he lost Sage, his firstborn.
Sage Stallone, a movie buff and businessman, also tried his hand at acting throughout his brief 36-year existence. With his father, he even starred in a couple of films, including Daylight and Rocky V.
Sage founded the film preservation, restoration, and remastering company Grindhouse Releasing.
On July 13, 2012, Sage’s housekeeper found him dead in his condo in the Los Angeles area. Almost quickly, theories about the cause of death started to circulate.
Sage’s exact death time was initially unclear, with some media sources speculating that he might have been dead for a few days before being discovered. After proof of a final Facebook post made just 17 hours prior to his body’s discovery surfaced, this allegation was subsequently disproved.
One of the other tales that surfaced was that Sage had a room full with booze bottles. As a result, it was hypothesized that Sage’s death was caused by drug or alcohol misuse.
These theories were disproved with the assistance of Sage’s lifelong friend and lawyer, George Braunstein. Braunstein claims that Sage did not drink alcohol, but he did smoke and eat candies and soda. The “suspect” bottles in his room were, in fact, just Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda.
Sage was a gifted youngster who was also extremely sensitive. Braunstein stated, “There has been no indication that anything was wrong in his life.” Sage had no history of drug or alcohol misuse or significant health issues.
Finally, the notion of suicide—another story that had been swirling around Sage’s unexplained death—was ruled out. Along with the fact that the young man was getting ready to marry his longtime love, no suicide note was ever discovered.
“He had a lot of creativity, energy, and vitality,” Braunstein told E! News. “There was nothing gloomy or melancholy, no issues, and definitely no money issues.”
Sage Stallone's death was "absolutely not suicide" http://t.co/XyjxnfRv pic.twitter.com/ksPtTvHN
— NDTV Movies (@moviesndtv) July 19, 2012
The coroner’s office released a statement stating that the ultimate cause of death had been postponed for further testing. Until testing is finished, which should happen in at least six to eight weeks, no results will be made public. A security hold on more death-related information has been requested by LAPD.
The Anguish of a Father
Stallone asked for quiet and respect for the family as reports surrounded Sage’s passing spread, saying that losing a child is the worst pain a parent can experience.
He urged people to stand in sympathy with Sage and his ex-wife, Czack, and to remember him with kindness.
Since this devastating loss would be felt for the rest of our lives, he pleaded with everyone to honor the memory of his incredibly gifted kid and show sympathy for his devoted mother, Sasha.
Sage was also incredibly special to Stallone because she was his firstborn child.
“Sage was the center of our universe and our first child. I humbly ask that everyone leave my son’s memory and soul in peace,” he stated.
The Verdict Revealed
Even though his mother begged him not to, it was eventually discovered that Sage had had dental surgery two weeks before to his passing.
I warned him against it. She remarked, “I’ve heard of people dying after having several oral surgeries.” “Avoid having multiple teeth extracted.”
Sage proceeded to get five teeth extracted in spite of this. To relieve his suffering, he later took pills, according to Czack. After two weeks, he passed away.
Late August 2012 saw the eventual disclosure of Sage’s cause of death: Sage died of atherosclerosis, a thickening of the arteries that caused a heart attack, according to autopsy records. There were residues of painkillers in his system, according to the toxicology results, but there had not been an overdose.
The Way Ahead
According to Stallone, the wait for the cause of death was a “very tough” couple of weeks and a period of intense mourning.
Stallone made a concerted effort to return to his work in order to distract himself as much as possible and assist ease his sadness.
Now that he has three lovely children and a second son, he can stand tall and hope that time will continue to heal him.
Yes, all the other members of the Stallone family are doing quite well. Throughout his life, his second child, Seargeoh, who was given an autism diagnosis as a youngster, has avoided the limelight.
The “Unwaxed” podcast is hosted by sisters Sophia and Sistine, while Scarlet is a model and future actress.
