Actress and producer Christina Applegate has been in a relationship with musician Martyn LeNoble for 17 years and married to him for 12. The couple shares a 14-year-old daughter, Sadie. For the past four years, Christina has been battling multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease that was officially diagnosed in 2021—after nearly seven years of unexplained symptoms.
The Hollywood star recently shared an emotional story about a painful argument she had with her daughter. During a heated moment, the teenager blurted out something that deeply hurt her mother.
“She said, ‘I miss the version of you before you got sick,’” Christina revealed. “And that just felt like a knife to the heart 💔 because I miss that version of me too. Every day is a sense of loss.”
Despite the emotional and physical toll of the disease, the Bad Moms actress finds strength to get out of bed each morning—for her daughter.
“Sadie is the reason I’m still here and still trying to live,” Christina said during an episode of Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic illness that can cause a range of symptoms, including motor and vision impairments, speech and sensory issues, cognitive and emotional changes, bladder and bowel dysfunction, muscle weakness, chronic fatigue, memory problems, poor concentration, depression, and anxiety. While its exact causes remain unclear, MS is believed to result from a combination of genetic, environmental, and immune system factors. Though it cannot be cured, treatments can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
Before her MS diagnosis, Christina had already faced serious health challenges. The Emmy-winning actress struggled with anorexia for many years. In 2008, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy followed by chemotherapy, eventually going into remission.
Last year, the Samantha Who? star also had a severe case of COVID-19. Today, due to the progression of MS, Christina uses a cane or wheelchair for mobility. The illness has also caused her to gain about 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
Despite all of this, she continues to move forward. Christina recently revealed that she’s working on writing a memoir that will tell the full story of her remarkable, and often difficult, life.
