'She's my hero': Harrison Ford reveals how he reacted when daughter Georgia was diagnosed with epilepsy
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Harrison Ford plays one of the most adored characters in movie history, Indiana Jones. In the world of the movies, he is witty, sarcastic, attractive, courageous, and brave, but in real life, when it comes to his daughter, he can be as vulnerable as any doting dad.
Ford's only daughter Georgia, 32, has followed a creative career like her dad. She has been seen in films like 'American Milkshake,' 'True Story', 'The Visitor', and 'I'm Being Me'. In 2016, Ford made the painful revelation that Georgia has been suffering from epilepsy since she was a young child. As the 'Indiana Jones and The Dial Of Destiny' hero awaits the release of his latest film, let's take a look at the charismatic hero's real experiences as a father. While he has often kept his personal affairs out of the public eye, he has previously spoken openly about some of his struggles, including being 'devastated' when he came to know of his daughter's diagnosis.
Georgia experienced seizures as a young girl
At the Find a Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures (FACES) event held at the NYU Langone Medical Center in 2016, Ford delivered a speech. He broke down in tears as he said that Georgia experienced seizures as a young girl and that it took years for her to receive an epilepsy diagnosis.
'She's my hero. I love her'
"I admire a lot of things about her. I admire her perseverance, her talent, her strength. She's my hero. I love her," he shared in his speech. He later added: "When you have a loved one who suffers from this disease, it can be devastating. You know how it affects their lives, their future, their opportunities and you want desperately to find mitigation. You want to find a way that they can live a comfortable and effective life," as reported by HELLO.
About Georgia's seizure episode
The father of five-spoke at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers and detailed the challenging process of obtaining Georgia a correct diagnosis. During her first seizure, which happened at a sleepover for kids, she was given medication for severe headaches. He said, "A few years later she had another big one, this one on a beach in Malibu, where a Hollywood director found her, luckily," he recalled. "I said to myself this is Los Angeles, we have some of the best doctors in the world, they must know what's wrong with her. But nothing was diagnosed as epilepsy," as per reports.
They didn't contact NYU until she had an attack while studying in London. Speaking in 2016 at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers, he disclosed: "Dr. Orrin Devinsky, who is a dear friend, made the diagnosis: epilepsy. He prescribed the right medication and therapy; she has not had a seizure in eight years."
How epilepsy has impacted Ford's family?
Ford has already discussed how epilepsy has impacted his family. The actor added, "There's a history of epilepsy in my family and I'm really aware of what a devastating affliction it can be. It not only affects the person who suffers from epilepsy but it affects their entire family." The father-daughter duo share a great bond and were spotted bonding over lunch and even seen shopping in West Hollywood on May 9.