Christina Applegate's battle with MS has "broken" her daughter Sadie
In 2021, the Dead to Me star was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) - a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the brain and central nervous system
1 September 2025
Christina, 53, has now detailed how her 14-year-old daughter could not face seeing her mom lose control of her movement as she got older.
Speaking to co-host, singer-and-actress Jamie Lynn Sigler, 44, on their podcast MeSsy, she shared: "In my situation, Sadie only knew me as healthy, and a runner, and a Pelotoner and a dancer, and she only knew that.
"So then, when this came about, 2021, she was like stoic about it.
"And now, I see her look at me when I'm in bed and can't quite move, or I wanna go say goodnight to her in her room, but I can't quite get down the hallway for whatever reason that my legs aren't working that day.
"Right now I can barely get to bathroom, it's the worst, but that's neither here nor there. It's broken her.
"She didn't know this. It was like losing the mom she had to this f****** thing.
"And the more she's gotten older now, I think the more it's hurting her."
Christina said Sadie - whose dad is 56-year-old Dutch musician-and-Porno for Pyros bassist Martyn LeNoble - does everything she can to help her mom.
She continued: "Also, I was diagnosed in 2021, so we had just gone through COVID and no school and all this stuff, and now mommy can't do all the things that she used to be able to do, and I see it in her eyes. I see it."
And the Vacation star is appreciative of Sadie's help because Christina battles "anxiety" when she leaves the house.
The actress said: "But you know what's really beautiful? When we're out, she knows I'm having such a hard time because I have such anxiety about being out. And she's always got my arm.
"She's always trying to help me through and help me with my cane and all this stuff. At home, she's like, 'Can you please go down and make my food cause you're the only one who can make it.'
"She's like, 'You're going down all the steps.' And I'm like, 'Sadie, I can't make it down the f****** steps.'
"But I do it. I do it because I know that it's like she's like checking in to make sure, 'Can she still take care of me?'"
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