Sarah Hyland thanks younger brother for giving her 'the gift of life' 2 years after kidney transplant
Sarah Hyland has been very transparent about her health issues in the last few years.
The 28-year-old "Modern Family" actress, who was born with kidney dysplasia, has gone through 16 surgeries.
After her first kidney transplant from her father in 2012, she said her kidneys later started to fail, which led her to a second kidney transplant from her younger brother, Ian, in 2017.
She posted a sweet message thanking Ian for his life-saving gift on Instagram on Thursday.
"2 years ago today my precious little brother gave me the gift of life," she wrote in an Instagram post. "Thank you for not only giving me your f------ kidney but for everything else you do."
"I love you so much @thehotterhyland ❤️ happy Kidneyversary!!!!" she added.
Her brother also commemorated the special day in another post.
"Happy Kidneyversary to an incredible older sister and all around bad---," he wrote. "I am so happy that you are living your dreams and have such an incredible year and life ahead of you."
"You make me so proud to be your brother. I love you, sis!" he added.
The actress opened up about her health journey during an appearance on "Good Morning America" in March.
"You have to actively stay positive throughout things," she said. "It can take a toll on your mental health and on your body, but as long as you surround yourself with the right people and stay positive ... I'm good."
She also said she's leaned on her "Modern Family" cast mates for support during trying times.
"You have to compartmentalize everything, and being at work is just so amazing to me because it's what I love. I've been doing it for 24 years now," she explained. "The cast is amazing, the crew is amazing. We're in our 10th season now and most of our crew members have been with us since day one, so I've really grown up with these people.
"They always can tell when I'm not feeling well," she added. "Even our props guy [will say], 'I'm here if you need anything.' They've been really amazing to me."
