Film actor Harrison Ford spoke candidly about his daughter Georgia’s epilepsy earlier this week at a New York City epilepsy event.
The 73-year-old actor and his daughter from his second marriage to screenwriter Melissa Mathison attended the Find a Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures (FACES) gala. Mr Ford thanked FACES for the help they’d given his family over the years.
Mr Ford reportedly made a tearful speech, recounting Georgia’s first seizures at a sleepover when she was a child and years later at a beach in Malibu.
He explained the long journey to getting the right diagnosis of epilepsy, with Georgia taking medicine for acute migraines initially.
During his speech, Mr Ford added: “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.”
The Star Wars-franchise veteran told Confidenti@l: “I admire a lot of things about her [Georgia]. I admire her perseverance, her talent, her strength. She’s my hero. I love her.”
The actor has previously mentioned that there was a history of epilepsy in his family at the premiere of the film Morning Glory.
In an interview with TalkAboutIt.org, an organisation that aims to end misconceptions about epilepsy and seizure disorders, Mr Ford said: “It not only affects the person who has epilepsy, but it affects the whole family. It’s really important to talk about it and find out about it.”
Harrison Ford is best known as Millennium Falcon pilot Han Solo in the Star Wars film franchise and adventuring archaeologist Indiana Jones. As well as Georgia, Mr Ford has four sons.