Key Takeaways
- Joe Manganiello says in his memoir Bloodlines that Sofía Vergara refused to hug him and mocked him for chihuahua that helped him while he was dealing with a seven-year health crisis.
- The mysterious autoimmune illness caused severe pain, a 60-pound weight loss, and intestinal surgery which led to him using an ostomy bag. Suicidal thoughts caused him to give away his gun before adopting the dog.
- Now symptom-free, Manganiello also disputes Vergara’s claim that his desire for children ended their marriage; Bloodlines arrives Oct. 13.
Joe Manganiello alleges he was ridiculed by then-wife Sofía Vergara for the chihuahua he adopted while battling a life-threatening autoimmune disease that had him contemplating suicide.
In an excerpt from his upcoming memoir, Bloodlines, obtained by People, Manganiello recounts spending seven years silently dealing with a mysterious illness that started shortly after his wedding to Vergara. The actor recalled encountering several health issues, including fevers, headaches, fatigue and an inability to walk due to excruciating abdominal pain.
During his search for answers, which never came, Manganiello lost 60 pounds and underwent an emergency procedure to remove a portion of his intestines, forcing him to use the bathroom with the help of an ostomy bag.
“It happened to me, and it’s the truth, and I have all the scars to prove it,” he said.
Manganiello claimed his marriage had “become devoid of any emotionality whatsoever” as he continued to deal with his health scare. The True Blood actor alleges Vergara refused to hug him, even when he begged her, and ridiculed him for the five-pound pup he adopted at a low point in his battle.
“I had to give my gun away because I kept thinking about it, and then the dog came,” he said. “I went from being the patient to the caretaker.”
In his memoir, Manganiello addressed Vergara’s claim that his desire to have kids led to their divorce. The 49-year-old claimed the uncertainty of his future caused him to rid himself of the idea of children because he did not want to leave Vergara, with whom he was exploring the idea of an egg donor after failed attempts at IVF, with a child “who wasn’t biologically hers” if he were to die.
Manganiello found his answers through a shaman who forced him to confront a family history of traumatic events.
“Whatever chains there were to the past suffering of my ancestors, they were completely broken,” he said. “There’s not an ounce of fear in me about moving forward with my life.”
The mysterious autoimmune disease is no longer a problem in Manganiello’s life.
Bloodlines comes out on Oct. 13.
