Rhiannon Ingle
Liam Neeson’s son Daniel has candidly opened up about his rare heart defect after undergoing surgery.
Daniel, who is the son of the Taken star and the late fellow actress Natasha Richardson, took to Instagram on Tuesday (3 March) to issue his followers an update after his surgery due to his Bicuspid Aortic Valve (BAV), which he explains is a condition where the aortic valve has two leaflets instead of the normal three.
According to Daniel, about 2 percent of the human population has it, and 'most people don’t even know'/
"It can stay dormant for years before it begins causing valve failure or enlargement of the aorta," he wrote in the caption of the post, which featured photos taken from the hospital alongside his fiancée, Natalie Ackerman.
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He explained: "For me, I had biannual cardiology checkups for most of my life, monitoring my heart. Eventually, I started to experience severe left ventricle dilation and aortic enlargement. I knew it was heading toward medical intervention. Some people with BAV are operated on later in life, but I drew the early-bird straw."
Daniel explained that 'nothing is more empowering than understanding your health, staying on top of your game, and planning ahead'.
"Health is about being proactive, not reactive," he continued, adding: "There’s something surreal about realising that one of your biggest challenges was quietly developing inside you your entire life. No dramatic warning. Just science, genetics, and timing.
"I’ve always prided myself on pushing through battles and working to control my environment. This was different."
Daniel shared with his 28.8k followers that this 'required surrender' as well as 'presence' and 'letting go'.
"Trusting world-class surgeons and unbelievable nurses. Trusting the universe. Trusting that even if I couldn’t control the outcome, I could control my mindset and my deeper consciousness," he carried on.
He explained that overcoming his health struggle 'wasn’t about being fearless', outlining: "It was about leaning into the healing energy and being as present as possible. I looked at this operation as a ceremony, not a procedure."
Daniel began rounding off the statement, thanking his medical staff, writing: "I am forever grateful to Dr Leonard Girardi and his remarkable team at Weill Cornell / NewYork-Presbyterian for taking unbelievable care of me. To the ICU team and nurses - truly some of the greatest people on the planet - thank you. They deserve all the praise in the world."
He then took the opportunity to thank his partner, Natalie Ackerman.
"Thank you to my rock @natalieack and to my family for being there every day," he continued.
"The recovery trail is beautiful, patient, and rewarding. Always advocate for yourself and listen to your body. Everyone should have their hearts checked by a cardiologist, even if they don’t have any known defects."
"Most importantly, surrender to the present moment. Don’t live in fear. The universe has your back when you learn to dance with it," Daniel concluded.