Linda Evangelista Calls Son Augustin, 14, 'Light of My Life' After Revealing She Was Left Disfigured
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Linda Evangelista is showing love for her son.
The supermodel, 56, shared a throwback photo on Instagram of her son Augustin "Augie" James, who turns 15 next month, for National Son Day, writing in the caption, "💙 Light of my life. 🙏🏻." The photo showed her child at the beach, drawing "Augie + Mommy" inside a heart in the sand.
Evangelista shares Augie with ex François-Henri Pinault, who is now married to Salma Hayek. He and the actress share daughter Valentina Paloma, who just turned 14.
The tribute from Evangelista comes three days after she revealed in an Instagram post that she underwent a CoolSculpting fat-reduction procedure five years ago that she said left her "permanently deformed." She has now filed a lawsuit against Zeltiq Aesthetics — which markets and licenses CoolSculpting devices — seeking $50 million in damages.
(Spokespersons for Zeltiq did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.)
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"Today I took a big step towards righting a wrong that I have suffered and have kept to myself for over five years," Evangelista wrote in the caption. "To my followers who have wondered why I have not been working while my peers' careers have been thriving, the reason is that I was brutally disfigured by Zeltiq's CoolSculpting procedure which did the opposite of what it promised."
Evangelista also said the procedure allegedly "increased, not decreased" her fat cells, allegedly causing her to be "permanently deformed even after two painful, unsuccessful, corrective surgeries." As a result, she's "been left, as the media has described, 'unrecognizable.' "
Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic
Evangelista went on to explain that she has since "developed Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia or PAH." PAH is a "rare" complication in which fat-freezing procedures like CoolSculpting cause fat cells to enlarge (creating lumps) or reduce too much (leaving a cavity) — hence the paradox, Boston-based plastic surgeon Dr. Samuel Lin tells PEOPLE.
Evangelista said the condition "not only destroyed my livelihood, it has sent me into a cycle of deep depression, profound sadness, and the lowest depths of self-loathing.
"In the process, I have become a recluse," Evangelista added.
"With this lawsuit, I am moving forward to rid myself of my shame, and going public with my story. I am so tired of living this way," she concluded. "I would like to walk out my door with my head high, despite not looking like myself any longer."
