Hilary Swank Sacrificed Career to Nurse Sick Dad despite Becoming Homeless When He Left the Family

• Hilary Swank and her mother were homeless when she was 15 after her father left them.
• Hilary's mother, Judy Swank, did everything she could to help her fulfill her dream of becoming an actress.
• Many years later, Hilary's father, Stephen Swank, became very ill and underwent a life-threatening surgery.
• Hilary was the only one who cared for her ailing parent for three years, helping him take his medication and to walk.

Hilary Swank was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on July 30, 1974. She is an actress who bagged two best actress Oscar Awards for two roles considered challenging back in the day.

Hilary played a transgender man in the 1999 film, "Boys Don't Cry" and a female boxer in "Million Dollar Baby" in 2004.

The Hollywood star grew up in a trailer park mainly in Bellingham, Washington, but after her parents divorced in 1990, she and her mom moved to Los Angeles.

The mother and daughter duo relocated so the brunette could pursue an acting career which eventually worked out, having starred in several television shows in the early 1990s.

Hilary’s Difficult Childhood

At just fifteen years old, Hilary knew she loved acting and, as such, decided to leave school. She revealed some of her educators were supportive, unlike others:

"I ended up dropping out of high school. I’m a high school dropout, which I’m not proud to say. I had some teachers that I still think of fondly and were amazing to me. But I had other teachers who said, 'You know what? This dream of yours is a hobby. When are you going to give it up.'"

Hilary added it was evident some teachers were not meant to be in the profession, and therefore, she could not look up to them for inspiration because it seemed they would rather be someplace else.

The film producer's father, Stephen Swank, was barely there as he was an Air National Guardsman and later became a traveling salesman. Meanwhile, Hilary's mother, Judy Swank, was a secretary and her biggest supporter.

Judy believed her daughter was destined to end up in Hollywood as she took notice of her acting abilities, so they both decided to leave for Tinseltown with the little money they had–and with no place to live.

Hilary explained in March 2005 that her parents were not on good terms amid their separation and that her mom decided for them to move to another state:

"She was at a crossroads. My father and her were getting separated, and she said, 'Let's go to California.' And so $75, and a Mobil card, we drove down to California."

They were homeless upon arriving there. The pair lived in their car for a few weeks until a friend suggested they use their house for the time being.

However, the said pal was in the process of selling the house, and it had "no furniture," so they requested Hilary and Judy to sleep there during the night and be gone during the day so they could continue to sell it. "So, we got air mattresses. Blew the air mattresses up. Slept on the air mattresses. And left in the morning," Hilary recalled.

Still, Judy and her teenage daughter, then 15, were not homeless for too long. Within months of being there, Hilary started getting acting roles. When she turned 23, she landed a part in "Beverly Hills 92010," but her breakout role was in "Boys Don't Cry," which earned her an Oscar Award. She was still an up-coming star at the time.

Hilary later became one of Hollywood's elite stars, being awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and two Academy Awards for Best Actress.

When speaking about how far along she has come to achieve such mass success, the "Freedom Writers" star said she cherishes her upbringing:

"My background is not something I forget. It helps me not to take what I have for granted."

Hilary was set on becoming an actress, and her doting mother went to great lengths to help her achieve her dream. When she received her star, she emotionally recounted when her mother was at a pay phone counting quarters as she called casting agents to sign her up.

Hilary’s Father Fell Ill & She Nursed Him Back to Health

As an accomplished star, Hilary boldly decided to step back from her flourishing career in 2014 to be by her father's side. Stephen underwent a lung transplant during that period, and because of his condition, his daughter's absence from showbiz lasted longer than she anticipated.

Hilary said she became her dad's "health advocate" and revealed how the situation was prolonged as it usually "takes a year to see if an organ transplant takes." She added a "lung transplant" is typically intricate as it is "an incredibly delicate organ."

In March 2018, Hilary appeared on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and provided an update on her father's health. When asked how he was holding up, she said he was doing well before explaining the surgery was complex.

Hilary revealed doctors told her dad that he only had a short period to live if he failed to get a lung and that "thankfully he got one and he's alive and thriving and well," she said.

Since Stephen underwent surgery, his daughter previously posted several photos of them together on social media while giving updates on his health.

In November 2016, Hilary revealed her dad had made a full recovery. She wrote in her post: "He's 100% better after this lung transplant," while expressing gratitude for those who prayed for him and sent him well wishes.

The award-winning star also gave an update in an interview in August 2020, revealing it took approximately years for her father to get better:

"Thank God, prayers were answered. He is healthy and doing well five-plus years later."

She admitted the experience became "overwhelming" as it required "a lot of energy," and there were bumps along the way, which did not make the situation more bearable.

Hilary said those caring for loved ones should also take time for themselves and be open about what they need from those around them to get support.

The A-lister eventually returned to work with a starring role in the 2018 FX limited series "Trust," and the thriller movie "The Hunt." Hilary also appeared in the 2020 drama series, "Away," where she plays an astronaut.

When asked what intrigued her about the project, the movie star shared the show has a diverse cast of characters and that as a child, she wished to become a space traveler.

Hilary also starred in the 2018 drama film, "What They Had," where she plays a wife and a mom dealing with aging parents—a mother with dementia and a father who has difficulty believing it.

The "Growing Pains" alum explained her father's health experience influenced how she portrayed the role and that the script from first-time writer-director Elizabeth Chomko moved her.

"Once my dad was better and more independent and able to get around on his own and do his meds by himself, [..] I didn't want to be anywhere that was so far away that I couldn't get back within three hours." Hilary explained about filming the movie in Chicago, which was a "three-hour flight" from home.

The star divulged that nothing could have prepared her for taking care of her ailing father when becoming his proxy. She questioned herself when making good or bad decisions because she knew that she would have to live with the choices she made in the long run if something went wrong. "So, it was scary," she admitted.

Stephen sadly died in October 2021 at age 73. His daughter penned an emotional post on social media on New Year's Eve, reflecting on the last year and the challenge it was for her for her, even taking a break from social media for a few months due to her father's death.

"In October, my Dear Dad made his transition to the other side," she wrote, adding they had a close relationship as she was his primary caretaker following his transplant several years before.

Hilary shared she "grew incredibly close" to her beloved parent during the difficult period in his life. Their father-and-daughter relationship became more profound, and they cherished every moment they spent together. "He will always remain one of my most favorite persons and not a day goes by that I don't miss him," she expressed.

The TV star added that it was in the wake of her father's passing that she started "living again." She better understood life and "where we come from and where we go back to, which has connected me back to my truest self."

Hilary said the experience "helped" her to let go of past hurt, to move on from the things that were preventing her from moving forward "in whatever form that takes each day. As well as being deeply connected to the Ultimate Source and, therefore, my Dad, always."

The "The Next Karate Kid" star addressed fans, saying she hoped whatever they had been through would "bring you closer to your truest essence and help guide you into this New Year."

On Veteran's Day in November 2021, Hilary honored her late dad, a retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant, with a moving post. She celebrated his service by posting a black and white picture of his younger self serving the United States Air Force and captioned the post: "Here's to my favorite veteran, my Dad."

Hilary revealed Stephen spent twenty-seven years serving the country "with the greatest pride and joy." She added her dad "loved" his role and "showed up with his heart."

Pregnant at Age 48

Hilary is about to become a parent herself. Only left with her mother, Judy, the movie star announced in October 2022 that she was expecting twins during an appearance on "Good Morning America."

The elated mother-to-be said at the time, "I'm going to be a mom! And not just of one, but of two." She shared it felt good to discuss her pregnancy.

Hilary feels the same way about her beloved mom as she previously expressed how grateful she is for her and wanted everybody to know it:

"I was blessed with a mom who believed in me and made me believe in myself."

The "P.S. I Love You" star revealed Judy always motivated her to put in the hard work in whatever she set her mind to and let her know that good things are never easy to accomplish, adding she should always persist.

Most importantly, Judy told her famous daughter that she could "achieve anything as long as you do work hard enough," Hilary recalled during her Academy Award acceptance speech in 2005.

Hilary showed off her dearest mother in December 2016. Judy had accompanied her child at the Huading Global Film Awards in Los Angeles.

The two women rocked the red carpet at the star-studded event as Hilary donned a sparkling nude Carolina Herrera dress covered in glitter stones while her proud mom wore a patterned jacket paired with a top, trousers, and leather shoes.

Meanwhile, in December 2022, she gushed over her pregnancy in an Instagram post, saying she and her spouse are beyond appreciative for the "incredible miracle," with her hands placed on her visibly growing baby bump.

Hilary wished her social media fans a "Merry Christmas" on her post and said she hoped they, too, experience such in their lives no matter the kind of miracle it is.

Hilary will be welcoming her bundles of joy with her husband of four years, entrepreneur Philip Schneider, with whom she was first rumored to be dating back in 2016. The lovebirds were spotted cuddling at the Corviglia Snowpark in St. Moritz, Switzerland at the time.

The couple made another public appearance in July 2018 when the couple stepped out for dinner in LA. Hilary reportedly brought along her mom to the outing at SoHo House.