Kelly Ripa is a woman of many facets and has become a beloved icon in America. She is an actress, talk show host and much more. With her charismatic and charming personality, she invites people into her world. This also means that part of her private life has become a public spectacle.

Her sister Linda Ripa is not quite as famous as Kelly, but she is a published author with a book, The Ladybird Blues, available now. Linda is known more for her suffering than her successes, as she experienced a major, life-changing event several decades ago that made big headlines and put Kelly on high alert.

Linda had an unfortunate accident in 1999. According to PeopleThe author was injured in a car accident in her seventh month of pregnancy after being hit by a drunk driver in Philadelphia. Not only did she suffer broken bones, but her pelvis was damaged and her unborn son, Sergio, fell into a coma. Fortunately, he survived and Linda subsequently called him her “miracle baby.”

She admitted she expected to be in pain for the rest of her life, but underwent a series of surgeries to try to alleviate some of the effects of the accident. “It was the worst thing you can imagine. As much as the broken bones and surgeries hurt, the worst part was that I couldn’t hold my son for long. Any mother would tell you that,” she said.

However, an operation went wrong and caused more problems than before. In February 2004, Linda received $15 million in a lawsuit against a surgeon who operated on her ankle after the accident. According to the battalionIn her lawsuit, she claimed the surgery was rushed, leaving her foot permanently deformed, and causing Linda severe pain and nerve damage.

Linda initially just wanted to settle the case and demanded $2.4 million as a settlement amount. However, the doctor argued that the nerve damage was not due to the surgery but to the accident in general. They decided to take the matter to court and Linda eventually won.

“I would venture to guess that the plaintiff and his attorneys never in their wildest dreams imagined that this case would bring in $15 million,” said David Corujo, an attorney for Frankford Hospital. Linda’s attorney pointed out that the financial compensation was necessary because her pain caused her to miss out on job opportunities, including an offer to become her sister’s personal assistant that pays her $150,000 a year.

Before the accident, Linda was just starting out in the entertainment industry like her sister. According to an interview with The 4000 magazine, she began her career as a model and actress. New York TimesHer legal team argued that the accident had changed her life and that it was difficult for her to pursue her work as an actress because the pain from the ankle surgery only made things worse.