Sylvester Stallone’s 1st Wife Once Shared Her Opinion about the Cause of Their Son’s Passing

Sylvester Stallone has his share of personal tragedy when he lost his son Sage Stallone. Following the young man's death, his mother, Stallone's first wife, shared what she believed caused his untimely demise.

Sylvester Stallone, one of Hollywood's legends who kept the industry steaming and had fans glued to the TV screen, had some challenging moments as a father. Beneath the on-screen brave man he mostly portrayed, Sylvester crumbled with sadness when he lost his son.

Sage was an actor, movie director, producer, and co-founder of Grindhouse Releasing. Although he inherited some of his iconic father's features and followed in his career path, Sylvester once revealed that he and Sage had different personalities.

SAGE'S PAINFUL PASSING

After Sage's death, his mom, Sasha Czack, revealed that the young star suffered intense pain after dental surgery a few weeks before he was found dead. Sage was allegedly taking strong medication.

Sage passed away at 36. His devastated mom explained that he had five teeth operated on weeks before his housekeeper found him lifeless at his Los Angeles home. She revealed this during her first public statement after Sage's death.

Investigations also proved that Sylvester's son's death might have been the result of an overdose. Czack further noted that she opposed the surgery, but he went ahead with his decision.

George Braunstein, who was Sage's attorney for 17 years, said the young film producer's teeth had rotted due to a high intake of soda. Braunstein also revealed that Sage ate a lot of candy bars.

Sage's tragic death caused a lot of fuss amongst other family members. Sylvester's nephew Edd Filiti bashed him on social media claiming the "Rocky" star neglected his son. But he took the post down a few minutes later and apologized.

Filiti blamed his outburst on his vulnerable state. However, during an interview, when Jim Moret asked Braunstein about the father and son relationship, he noted that Sage loved his father and was proud of him.

SYLVESTER'S REACTIONS

Further findings revealed that authorities discovered painkillers and empty pill bottles in Sage's apartment. Before autopsy results came out, officials tried to confirm if the pills were the cause of his death and set out to find who prescribed the painkillers.

His dad, the "Rambo" star, also went through heartbreak. He received the news of Sage's death while at work promoting his movie "The Expendables 2." When the older Stallone finally spoke, he requested:

"This agonizing loss will be felt for the rest of our lives. Sage was our first child and the center of our universe and I am humbly begging for all to have my son's memory and soul left in peace."

As investigations progressed, news reports showed that the empty containers found in Sage's apartment could contain about 30,000 pills. In addition, many sacks filled with white powder were found in his bedroom.

About 50 huge bottles discovered by authorities in the death scene were for hydrocodone. A source close to the case revealed that the numerous medications found in Sage's bedroom should only exist in a pharmacy.

THE REAL CAUSE OF SAGE'S DEATH

After several investigations and speculations, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County coroner revealed the real cause of Sage's death. According to the report, Sylvester's oldest child died of atherosclerosis, which degenerated into a heart attack.

Fred Corral of the coroner's office said the only drugs found in Sage's system were over-the-counter Tylenol-style pain relief. Corral also noted that the deceased actor's family was informed of the new development.

Getting over Sage's death was surely a tough one for the now-75-year-old "Rocky Balboa" actor. During Sylvester's first public appearance since he learned of his son's death, he noted that the situation was "very, very tough" before adding:

"It's a horrible situation, but time hopefully will heal, and you try to get through it, but it's just something that's a reality of life."

While Sylvester was honored with the Golden Globe Awards for his role on "Rocky Balboa," the iconic Hollywood star reminisced on his son's death and how he has been faring. Sylvester explained that it was helpful to vent one's emotions.

Sage's friend Scott Ross also spoke up about Sage's personality. Ross noted that his friend led an inactive lifestyle, and there was no indication of him being a drug dealer or having the tendency to kill himself.

MORE ON SAGE

Unfortunately, July 14, 2012, will continue to hold a painful memory for Sylvester and his first wife. Sylvester opened up about how proud he was of Sage during an interview. The heartbroken dad explained that his son was different from him.

According to Sylvester, Sage placed himself in a position where he would never be compared to his iconic father, and he was proud of the difference. Filmmaker William Byron Hillman also talked about Sage's personality in an interview.

Hillman stated that the late movie star had a "bubbly personality" and loved life. Sage was famous for his roles in horror movies. Born in 1976, he grew up with his mother, Czack, after his parents divorced in 1985.