Sarah Hyland Had a Second Kidney Transplant After First Failed

Sarah Hyland poses for Self magazine’s latest digital cover story, in which she opens up about needing a second kidney transplant after her first one failed.

The 28-year-old Modern Family actress was born with kidney dysplasia, which means her kidneys did not develop normally in the womb and causes them to grow cysts. Here’s what she shared:

On finding out she needed a second kidney transplant: “We did all of these tests and all of these treatments to try and save the kidney. Christmas break, New Year’s, Thanksgiving, my birthday, all of that spent in the hospital.”

On how this effected her mental health: “I was very depressed. When a family member gives you a second chance at life, and it fails, it almost feels like it’s your fault. It’s not. But it does… For a long time, I was contemplating suicide, because I didn’t want to fail my little brother like I failed my dad.” (Sarah’s dad donated his kidney for her first transplant)

On meeting her now boyfriend, radio DJ, Wells Adams: “We met each other for the first time three days before my transplant. He was texting me in the morning before I went into surgery, and we were FaceTiming the entire time I was in the hospital… He’s seen me at my worst… He was there through all of that. I think that’s why I feel the most beautiful in his eyes, because he still finds me beautiful after seeing all that.”

For more from Sarah, visit Self.com!