Angelina Jolie Talks About Her Daughters Undergoing Surgery

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were once one of Hollywood's golden couples. When the pair filed for divorce in September 2016, hearts around the world were broken (except for those waiting for a Pitt and Jennifer Aniston reunion, and believe us, there were plenty). Nevertheless, Jolie held her head high as she dove into life as a single mom, raising her six children (Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne) all under one roof.

While raising that many kids is no easy feat, Angie remains humble and quick to note how much she learns from her brood. "My children know my true self, and they have helped me to find it again ... I learn from their strength," the Maleficent star gushed to Harper's Bazaar in 2019, adding, "As parents, we encourage our kids to embrace all that they are, and all that they know in their hearts to be right, and they look back at us and want the same for us."

More recently, Jolie has had to remain strong for her children, including her eldest daughter Zahara. In a candid essay penned for Time in March 2020, Jolie admitted two of her girls were hospitalized. "On this International Women's Day, writing from the hospital, I find myself focusing on my daughters for a moment and all that I have learned from them and other young girls I have met around the world," she shared.

Let's find out more about what Jolie wrote about her daughters undergoing surgery.

Although Angelina Jolie hasn't gone into too much detail regarding what exactly is going on with Zahara, she offered a bit more insight about her younger daughter, who went "under the knife for a hip surgery." While Jolie didn't name which younger daughter in her Time essay, People believed it was Shiloh, who was spotted on crutches recently. Explaining her daughters' strength, the 44-year-old wrote, "They understand that going through medical challenges and fighting to survive and heal is something to be proud of."

No matter what may be going on at the hospital, the actress remains a proud mother. "I have watched my daughters care for one another. My youngest daughter studied the nurses with her sister, and then assisted the next time. I saw how all my girls so easily stopped everything and put each other first, and felt the joy of being of service to those they love," Jolie gushed. "I also watched them their face fears with a resolute bravery."

As for ex-hubby, Brad Pitt? According to Page Six, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor skipped the BAFTAs to be by his daughter's side, sending co-star Margot Robbie to accept his award on his behalf. It's unknown if Pitt and Jolie are currently on good terms, although it's a bit peculiar Jolie didn't mention her former husband at all, since she wrote that she and their children were all at the hospital together.

It's no surprise that Angelina Jolie's children were by their sisters' sides during their stay at the hospital. As it turns out, they're all very close. "When you know that your kids love each other and you see the way they all, without any kind of prompting or pushing, give each other notes, hug each other, take each other, support each other, then you feel like they're gonna be okay and they're always gonna have each other," the Salt starlet gushed to Entertainment Tonight in August 2019.

The love puddle doesn't stop there, as Angie's kids are all very supportive of their mom as well (which is something that can't quite be said about Brad Pitt and his rocky relationship with son, Maddox). Jolie revealed how her children celebrate her on special days in an interview with Hello! in 2019. "On Mother's Day my children make me breakfast and pick me flowers — they treat me like a lady," she proudly revealed.

Ultimately, the main lesson Jolie wants her children to take away from her is kindness — something she revealed to Harper's Bazaar that same year. "They are very open-minded and very kind. I try to lead by example and to be as kind and gracious, and loving and tolerant, as my mother was," she explained. "When there's a fight that needs to be had, I want them feel they have the strength. So, I hope they are learning to be kind."

Another significant component of Angelina Jolie's Time essay was her discussion of women's rights. In fact, the piece was even titled "Why Girls Deserve Love and Respect on International Women's Day." While the article definitely touched on her daughters' surgeries, the starlet's message was more universal. 

"Little girls' softness, their openness and instinct to nurture and help others, must be appreciated and not abused. We must do much more to protect them, in all societies," she wrote, then later perfectly summarized, "And my message to girls is, fight on, little ladies. Your care for each other will be a large part of your way forward. Hold your nerve. Know your rights."

It's not the first time the Girl, Interrupted actress has spoken out on women's rights either. In fact, in 2019, Jolie wrote yet another essay for Elle, discussing her fight on a global level. "In my work, I travel to countries where I know that, if I were a citizen there, my beliefs and actions as a woman could land me in jail or expose me to danger," she explained, before going on to list examples of what she's encountered all over the world.

Regardless of whether or not you're a fan of the Hollywood starlet, there's no denying the importance of Angie's message. In the meantime, we're wishing Jolie's daughters all the best and a speedy recovery.