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Christina Applegate Reveals How MS Has Affected Parenting Daughter Sadie: ‘The Worst Feeling’
Christina Applegate admitted that it’s been “heartbreaking” as multiple sclerosis has affected her parenting abilities.
“My daughter’s had to see the loss of her mom, in the way that I was a mom with her,” she told People in an interview published on Wednesday, March 13. “Dancing with her every day. Picking her up from school every day. Working at her school, working in the library. Being present, out of the house, out of my bed. She doesn’t see those things anymore.”
Christina, 52, shares daughter Sadie, 13, with her husband, Martyn LeNoble. The Samantha Who? alum publicly revealed she was diagnosed with MS in 2021.
“If she comes in my room and sees I’m laying on my side, she knows she can’t ask me to do anything,” she continued. “And that breaks me. Because I love doing stuff for my kid. I love making her food and bringing it to her, but I just can’t sometimes. But I try. I try.”
Christina made a rare public appearance at the Emmy Awards on January 15, in which she received a standing ovation from the crowd of A-listers. Sadie attended the award show with her mom, showing her support in the audience. The Dead to Me actress later admitted that she “blacked out” during the appearance.
Still, she was grateful to bring her daughter along to the ceremony, despite facing challenges for the past few years.
“It’s heartbreaking when you have to say to them, ‘I can’t,’” Christina continued about parenting and finding some limitations. “It’s like the worst feeling in the world as a mother. You’re supposed to be their protector in life. When you have to say, ‘I can’t,’ it rips your soul apart. I’m sorry. I freak out about it every day.”
As for whether or not she will be returning to TV in her Dead to Me role, Christina admitted that she misses being on the set.
“I don’t know. On Dead to Me, I had the support I needed, and it took all of myself to do it,” she told the outlet. “I don’t think I’m going to have a set that’s going to be that accommodating again. So I’m afraid. I don’t know if anyone’s going to accept me now, the way I am. But to not be able to do it again, honestly it hurts my heart. I miss it … of course I miss it.”
