Sarah Hyland Shows Surgery Scars And Reveals She Had Suicidal Thoughts After Kidney Transplant

Sarah Hyland has been brave enough to speak publicly about her two kidney transplants and the toll the surgeries had on her mental health, but this time, the actress went one step further and unveiled her scars during an emotional interview.

The Modern Family star broke down in tears as she showed the many scars from her 16 surgeries in an interview with Self magazine, where she spoke about the two transplants she had to undertake — one in 2012, and another one in 2017 — and what life was like during the several months she had to go through kidney dialysis. Hyland explained that while she won’t let her scars define her, it’s still hard to show them.

“Still mentally it’s hard to get over that. I think personally for someone to be 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,” the 28-year-old said, as she showcased the many scars across her stomach area, comparing them to “a samurai sword attack or a shark bite.”

She said that, by the age of four, she had already undergone seven surgeries, a number that has since risen to a total of 16. Hyland had her first kidney transplant in 2012 after a donation from her father, Edward James. But around four years later, the organ started to fail for unknown reasons, which resulted in her having to undertake four-hour kidney dialysis sessions, three times a week, between February and October 2017.

She explained that doctors did all the tests and treatments possible to try and save the kidney, but that the organ was already irreparably failing. The brunette beauty finally found out in July last year that her younger brother Ian was a match.

“When a family member gives you a second chance at life, and it fails, it almost feels like it’s your fault.”

“When a second family member, someone, you’re supposed to look after, like a little brother, wants to give you a third chance at life, it’s scary, because you don’t want to fail them,” she tearfully admitted.

The Hollywood star also spoke openly about struggling with suicidal thoughts due to that fear of letting her brother down and said that the support of her boyfriend, Wells Adams, had been crucial during her recovery. She also put fans’ fears to rest by confirming that the second kidney transplant was a success and that the “numbers are good.”