NEWSSylvester Stallon Revisits Son's Sudden Death at Age 36: 'That Was Devastating'
Sylvester Stallone opened up about the shattering pain of learning about his son's death and the grief that persists.
Sept. 30 2026, Published 7:05 a.m. ET
Sylvester Stallone revisited the heartbreaking moment he learned his eldest son, Sage Stallone, had died.
Dr. Stephen Levine, his mother's third husband, broke the news. "He goes, 'I'm calling to say he's gone,'" Sylvester recalled in his new book, The Steps: A Memoir, about his eldest son, who died in Los Angeles on July 13, 2012, at age 36 from coronary artery disease linked to atherosclerosis.
The Nature of the Call Was Strange
Sylvester Stallone said he found the phone call informing him of his son's death cold and insensitive.
The 80-year-old actor was in his office writing a screenplay when Dr. Stephen called with the news. He described the delivery as unusually detached.
"It [the call] was just so cut and dry and unemotional. 'Sorry, gone. See you later. Bye.' That was it. Not like, Can I help you? Nothing. And that was devastating," the Rambo star recalled.
He Thought Highly of His Son
Sylvester Stallone dreamed of great things for his son, unaware of his hidden illness.
The Hollywood legend spoke about the path he had envisioned for his son.
"I had great hopes for him," the veteran filmmaker said. "He was going to do something really wonderful because he found his own niche, which wasn't about performing, which I thank God ... but I had no idea that he was ill."
He remembered Sage as "a very kind kid."
"He had a great mother. He would have done wonderful things in the future. I just had no idea that he had something that you would expect a very advanced adult to have," admitted the star.
Photos of His Son Bring the Pain Back
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Sylvester Stallone admitted looking at photos is still painful, emphasizing that the grief never fades.
The loss remains deeply felt by the Oscar-nominated performer, who opened up about how difficult it still is to encounter reminders of his son.
"When you see a photo, it's rough," the Creed star admitted. "Real rough."
Sylvester shared a similar sentiment in another interview.
"But no, you don't get over that," Sylvester said of the traumatic event.
He Still Has Questions
Sylvester Stallone admitted he suffers from deep guilt, constantly questioning his choices as a father.
The Rocky creator also acknowledged that the loss prompted him to revisit his own decisions.
"The thing is, you have so many episodes of guilt. Like: What could I have done? Should I have been there? What if I did that? If I went right or went left?" he shared.
The Two Would Have Done Anything for Each Other
Sylvester Stallone and son Sage mended their complicated relationship after filming 'Rocky V.'
The father and son had a complicated relationship before eventually reaching a different place.
In a 1996 interview, Sage reflected on working alongside his father in Rocky V and the effect it had on them.
"When I was screaming [in the movie] 'You never spent time with me! You never spent time with my mother!' that was true. I was looking into my father's face and really saying that," Sage, whose mom was Sasha Czack, explained.
He continued, "I got a lot of things out. We broke into tears a few times. After the film, everything changed. We'd do anything for each other."
