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Harrison Ford Reveals Daughter Georgia Has Epilepsy: Disease ‘Can Be Devastating’

Georgia Ford and actor Harrison Ford
Georgia and Harrison Ford attend the screening of 'Extraordinary Measures' in NYC on Jan. 21, 2010.

Speaking from the heart. Harrison Ford shed his tough-guy exterior as he came close to tears while attending an event in support of epilepsy research in NYC on Monday, March 7. The reason? His daughter, Georgia.

The Star Wars actor revealed at the New York University Langone Medical Center's Find a Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures (FACES) gala that Georgia, 26, has the condition.

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"When you have a loved one who suffers from this disease, it can be devastating," he told the New York Daily News. "You know how it affects their lives, their future, their opportunities and you want desperately to find mitigation. You want to find a way that they can live a comfortable and effective life.”

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During his speech at the gala, held at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers, Ford, 73, said that Georgia, his daughter with his second wife, the late screenwriter Melissa Mathison, had her first seizure as a child during a sleepover.

Georgia was given medication for acute migraines, but years later suffered another big seizure "on a beach in Malibu, where a Hollywood director found her luckily."

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Her condition wasn't diagnosed until Georgia, who is now an actress, had another attack while studying in London. They consulted Dr. Orinn Devinsky at NYU. "He prescribed the right medication and therapy," said an emotional Ford as he fought back tears. "She has not had a seizure in eight years."

Ford told the Daily News that he's inspired by his daughter, who attended the event with him on Monday night.

"I admire a lot of things about her," he said. "I admire her perseverance, her talent, her strength. She’s my hero. I love her."

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