Sylvester Stallone can attest to this first hand – it’s no secret that the legendary Hollywood actor tragically lost his first-born, Sage Stallone, in 2012.

What’s perhaps less well known is the fact that Stallone’s ex-wife and Sage’s mom, Sasha Czack, had insisted that Sage avoid undergoing a major dental surgery just weeks before he died.

Before the official cause of Sage’s sudden and untimely death became known, theories were abound – people suspected everything from drugs, to alcohol, to suicide. But the truth would ultimately be more heartbreaking than anyone could have imagined.

Tough Childhood, Tough Adulthood
Experiencing the loss of a child is an unspeakable predicament. But Sylvester “Rocky Balboa” Stallone unfortunately had it tough even before the unfathomable loss of his son, who died at just 36 years of age.

In many ways, Stallone’s actual life had a lot in common with the legendary Rocky Balboa character that rendered him one of Hollywood’s most popular actors.

Before he was forced to grow up tough, Sylvester was born tough. Greeting life was no easy feat, and he came out fighting. A problem during his delivery led to one of his facial nerves being severed, paralyzing a part of his tongue and chin.

This precise accident and its outcome is in fact what has led to Stallone’s trademark snarl, which one might say in many ways contributed to his popularity as a public figure – but as a child, the impact was far from positive.

An Untimely Death
Stallone’s life, one might say, was therefore full of both highs and lows. But certainly no low could compare to the time he lost his first-born Sage.

A film enthusiast and entrepreneur, Sage Stallone, also dabbled with acting throughout his short 36 years of life. He even appeared in a few movies alongside his dad, such as Rocky V and Daylight.