The Tragic Story Of Sofia Vergara's Son Manolo Gonzalez Vergara's Life

Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara made viewers laugh for more than 10 years on "Modern Family." And in real life, family is just as important to her. Sofia gave birth to her son Manolo Gonzalez Vergara in 1991 when she was just 19 years old. His father is Joe Gonzalez, Sofia's high school flame and her first husband. (The couple was married from 1991 to 1993.)

Manolo graduated from Emerson College in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in film production. He has tried his hand at his mother's craft, acting in films such as "Destined to Ride" and the series "Guilty Party." He also appeared alongside his famous mom in advertisements for Head and Shoulders shampoo and had a cameo in her 2015 movie "Hot Pursuit." Manolo even made a guest appearance when his mom hosted Saturday Night Live in 2012.

Today, Manolo has become a chef and entrepreneur but is best known for being the host of "Celebrity Family Food Battle" on The Roku Channel. He launched CANINI by Baguette in 2019 – a line of dog beds, clothes, and accessories inspired by his own dog named Baguette. In 2024, Sofia and Manolo together launched the TOMA brand of empanadas. It is clear that the "America's Got Talent" judge and her son have a close relationship, and the two have had to lean on each other in hard times. They have relied on one another in times of loss and "grew up together," as Sofia put it while in conversation with People.

Sofia Vergara was born and raised in Columbia (and was first discovered as an actress there) and gave birth to her son in Columbia as well. In the mid-90s, she moved to the U.S. with her young son for more job opportunities but was still very close with her family back home. In 1996, the family was horrified to learn that Sofia's older brother, Rafael, was killed during an attempted kidnapping. "It destroyed my family," she recalled in a conversation with Variety. "It destroyed my mom. It changed our lives completely. We didn't know what was happening, why he had been killed."

She then moved her mother and siblings to Miami to live with her and her son. "It was hard because I had to take responsibility for my whole family," Sofia said to Variety. The entire family was grieving, but her brother, Julio, had a particularly tough time accepting his brother's death. He began to experiment with alcohol and drugs when he went off to college and soon became addicted. "To see somebody dying over 10 years, little by little, that's the worst punishment," Sofia told Parade of the experience.

After her divorce in 1993, Sofia Vergara was in her early 20s and became a single mom to a toddler. She has been open about how being a mom at such a young age influenced her parenting style. Reflecting on motherhood, she told People, "I was not even 20 years old, so I don't even remember that much of my life without being a mother." Vergara said being a parent is "very rewarding," but also comes with its share of headaches. "I wish I was older sometimes because I would've been more mature, more prepared to be a mother, but that was what I got and what happened," she added. "So I just kept going and try not to look back at it, because it is what it is. But it is fun because I kind of grew up together with my son."

In 2011, Vergara told Redbook about being a young mother, "It's a big responsibility; you can't go out much at night. Instead of buying a pair of shoes, you have to buy diapers. When you have a kid, you have to be more mature." Now that her son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, is an adult, Vergara is happy to share how proud she is of the boy she raised. During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, she said, "I am so proud that he turned out amazing and super hard working. He wants to do things in life and he's excited about life. I think that's what all mothers wish for. [He's] kind to other people. I don't have anything bad to say about my son."

Manolo Gonzalez Vergara is a big animal lover, and his mother, Sofia Vergara, has joked that her son's pets have given her a preview of what being a grandmother will be like. But in 2018, Manolo had to say goodbye to a furry friend after a freak accident. He adopted a rescue dog named Mamacita and was instantly smitten with the new pup. But just three days after adopting Mamacita, Manolo witnessed her life come to a tragic end.

"We were walking to the vet, and she got startled, and she ran away and got hit by a car," Manolo sobbed in a video posted to his Instagram Stories (via E! News). "Mamacita died." Manolo was visibly heartbroken when sharing the sad news. "There was nothing they could do. Those were the best three days of my life. I'm so sorry, Mamacita," he said on social media. After losing Mamacita, Manolo adopted a Chihuahua mix named Baguette who inspired a new business venture. In 2019, Manolo launched the CANINI by Baguette line of dog beds and other essential items for dogs.

Sofia Vergara's world turned upside down when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the young age of 28. She reflected on her experience with thyroid cancer during the 2021 Stand Up to Cancer charity event and again in an Instagram post for World Cancer Day in 2022. "At 28, 'Cancer' was not a word I expected to hear," Vergara wrote on Instagram. "It was just a routine checkup. But the doctors found a lump in my throat, and that word became part of my story. I spent countless hours in radiation treatments, and, eventually, in surgery. Today, I get to call myself a cancer survivor." Her words captioned a photo of her where a visible scar is seen on the actress' throat from her surgery. "I'm lucky and grateful to be in a position to share my story and say: Early prevention is so important!! Schedule your annual check-up for this year if you haven't already."

After receiving her diagnosis, Vergara immediately thought of her young son, Manolo, who was not even 10 years old at the time. "It was very traumatic," she shared in a conversation with WebMD in 2013. "I was young. I had a young son. But I tried not to panic. I decided to take charge and inform myself. Of course, I couldn't Google thyroid cancer from the comfort of my house back then, so I went to bookstores and found out everything I could about it."

Sofia Vergara was used to receiving attention from adoring fans during her run on "Modern Family." But one fan took their admiration too far, and targeted both Sofia and her son. In 2021, Gregory Aaron Brown was convicted of vandalizing Vergara's property and was sentenced to 32 months in jail. He was released from jail in 2023. But while on parole, Brown began trespassing near Vergara's property. He allegedly also sent Vergara a concerning letter promising to find her so the two could be together. (Unfortunately, Vergara is used to dealing with lengthy legal battles.)  

"He has engaged in stalking and harassment directed at me, which is seriously alarming, annoying and harassing me," Vergara said in previous court documents according to The Independent. "He delusionally believes he personally knows her, and has a romantic and familial relationship with her and her son, which he does not," the documents said. "At times, Brown has stated Petitioner (Vergara) 'belongs' to him. Brown is engaged in compulsive stalking of Petitioner (Vergara), and poses credible threat of violence and imminent danger to her." Vergara and her son were granted a five-year restraining order against Brown in late 2023.