There is nothing more painful in life than losing a child, regardless of age – whether the child is still a baby or an adult.
Sylvester Stallone can speak to this firsthand; it’s no news that the iconic Hollywood actor’s firstborn, Sage Stallone, died tragically in 2012.
What’s less commonly known is that Sasha Czack, Stallone’s ex-wife and Sage’s mother, had insisted on Sage not having extensive dental surgery just weeks before he died.
Theories abound before the official cause of Sage’s tragic death is revealed – people suspect everything from drugs to drink to suicide. But, in the end, the truth would be more painful than anyone could have anticipated.
Tough Childhood, Tough Adolescence, Tough Adulthood
The loss of a child is an unimaginable tragedy. However, Sylvester “Rocky Balboa” Stallone had a difficult life even before the unimaginable loss of his son, who died at the age of 36.
In many ways, Stallone’s real-life mirrored the renowned Rocky Balboa character, which helped him become one of Hollywood’s most successful performers.
Sylvester was born roughly before he was forced to grow up harsh. It was no simple task to greet life, and he came out fighting. One of his facial nerves was severed during his birth, crippling a portion of his tongue and chin.
This same tragedy and its aftermath are what gave Stallone his signature sneer, which in many ways contributed to his celebrity as a public figure – but it had a negative influence on him as a child.
Stallone has said that he felt like “Mr. Potato Head” with portions of his face in the incorrect position because of his disfigurement. To make matters worse, Stallone grew up in a household where his father was aggressive and his mother was icy, barely “kissing him twice” throughout his youth.
Stallone, predictably, became a fairly troubled child as a result of this. He was always getting himself into trouble. He’d been tossed out of 13 schools and broken 11 bones by the age of 12 for a variety of reasons, including jumping off a roof with an umbrella.
Stallone’s career path finally led him to bodybuilding and acting. Stallone struggled for years before achieving his great success. He has spoken of camping at the Port Authority in Manhattan when homeless. After being cast in the first Rocky film in 1976, things took a dramatic turn for the better.
From Poverty to Prosperity
Stallone met and married his first wife, photographer and filmmaker Sasha Czack, not long before achieving fame and fortune. Sage, born in 1976, and Seargeoh, born in 1979, were their two sons.
Sylvester and Czack divorced in 1985, and he married model and actress Brigitte Nielsen later that year. Unfortunately, the relationship would also fail, and they divorced two years later.
As the saying goes, the third time’s the charm, and Stallone married model and entrepreneur Jennifer Flavin in 1997, with whom he is now married and has three daughters: Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Stallone.
Unexpected Death
As a result, Stallone’s life was marked by both highs and lows. But nothing could ever compare to the moment he lost his firstborn Sage.
Sage Stallone, a film buff and entrepreneur, dabbled in acting throughout his brief 36 years on this planet. He even acted in a few films with his father, including Rocky V and Daylight.
Sage founded Grindhouse Releasing, a company dedicated to remastering, restoring, and preserving films.
Sage was discovered dead in his Los Angeles apartment by his housekeeping on July 13, 2012. Almost immediately, rumors concerning the cause of death began to circulate.
Sage’s exact time of death was initially unclear, with some media outlets suggesting that he had been deceased for several days before being discovered. This myth was debunked as evidence of a final Facebook post made just 17 hours before his death was discovered surfaced.
There were further stories, including one that claimed Sage had a room full of booze bottles. As a result, it was suggested that Sage’s death was caused by drug or alcohol misuse.
George Braunstein, Sage’s longtime friend and attorney, assisted in putting these speculations to rest. Sage smoked and drank candy and soda, but he didn’t drink alcohol, according to Braunstein. Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda was indeed the’suspicious’ bottles in his room.
“Sage was an extremely talented, sensitive, and young child.” Sage had no major health issues or a history of drug or alcohol misuse, according to Braunstein.
Another story surrounding Sage’s death, that he committed suicide, was finally ruled out as a possibility. There was no suicide note discovered, and the young man was about to marry his longtime lover.
Braunstein told E! News, “He was incredibly creative, vibrant, and full of life.” “There were no dark or dismal moments, no problems, and especially no financial difficulties.”
The coroner’s office announced in a statement that “the final cause of death has been deferred for more testing.” “No findings will be revealed until the testing is finished—at least six to eight weeks.” The LAPD has asked for a security freeze on any further information about the death.”
Grief of a Father
As word of Sage’s death spread, Stallone begged that the family be treated with respect and privacy, saying that there is no greater anguish for a parent than the loss of their kid.
He urged that the people remember Sage fondly and sympathize with him and his ex-wife, Czack.
“I’m pleading with people to remember my tremendously talented son and to have compassion for his lovely mother Sasha,” he said.
Sage has a special place in Stallone’s heart because he was his firstborn.
“Sage was our first kid and the center of our existence,” he stated. “I respectfully beseech all to leave my son’s memories and spirit in peace.”
The Truth Is Out
Sage had undergone dental surgery two weeks before his death, over his mother’s protests.
“I warned him against it. “I’ve heard of people dying after many dental treatments,” she explained. “No more than one tooth should be extracted.”
Sage went ahead and got five teeth extracted despite this. According to Czack, he then took medications to relieve his suffering. He was dead two weeks later.
The truth behind Sage’s death was finally disclosed in late August 2012: Sage died of atherosclerosis, a thickening of the arteries that caused a heart attack, according to autopsy records. There were traces of pain medicine in his system, but no overdose, according to the toxicology results.
The Road Ahead
The wait for the cause of death was described by Stallone as a “very difficult” couple of weeks filled with anguish.
Stallone made every effort to return to work in order to distract himself from his pain as much as possible.
He can now stand proud with his second son and three lovely daughters, and can only hope that time will continue to help him recover.
The rest of the Stallone family is doing well. Seargeoh, his second kid, was diagnosed with autism as a child and has spent his entire life away from the limelight.
Scarlet is a model and aspiring actress, and her sisters Sophia and Sistine host the “Unwaxed” podcast.
What a heartbreaking story, but I’m glad Sylvester Stallone has his other lovely children to console and console.
Isn’t it amazing how a mother’s instincts about her children can be so strong?
Please share this article with others to remind them of this and to keep the memory of Sage Stallone alive!