Brad Pitt has praised his fiancee Angelina Jolie as “heroic” after she underwent a double mastectomy since discovering she was susceptible to cancer that killed her mother.
The actor, who was by Jolie’s side throughout her three operations and recovery involved in removing her breasts — which she revealed yesterday — has told the Evening Standard he was happy for his wife and family.
“Having witnessed this decision firsthand, I find Angie’s choice, as well as so many others like her, absolutely heroic,” he said.
“I thank our medical team for their care and focus.
“All I want for is for her to have a long and healthy life, with myself and our children. This is a happy day for our family.”
When Angelina wrote about her ordeal, going through a preventative double mastectomy and breast reconstruction after testing positive to the BRCA1 gene and being told she had a 87 per cent chance of developing breast cancer, she said her partner was very supportive.
“I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive. So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through this, know that you are a very important part of the transition,” she wrote.
“Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries. We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and would bring us closer. And it has.”
Jolie’s surgeon, Dr Kristi Funk was struck by Brad’s support, particularly through the final stages of her procedure, and the strength of the pair.
“On February 2, 2013, Angelina was in the operating room for the first operation,” she writes.
“Her partner was on hand to greet her as soon as she came around from the anaesthetic, as he was during each of the operations.”
A friend of the Hollywood couple has told the Daily Mail that Angelina Jolie is keen to marry Brad Pitt “sooner rather than later” following the procedure.
“Angie is keen on a wedding and the kids are clamouring for a marriage and keep asking Brad and Angie when it’s happening,” a source said.
“Brad has been caught up in production turmoil with his new film World War Z, so there’s been no wedding planning as a result, but Angie has said it will happen sooner rather than later.”
The parents-of-six were engaged in 2011 and Brad revealed that pressure for them to marry was not only coming from the rumour mill but from their children as well.
“I am getting more pressure from my kids, and it is something I want to do within their lifetime, but I also feel like the time has come,” he said speaking at a screening of his film Killing Them Softly.
“The time is night. It’s soon. I got a good feeling about it.”
