Milana Foligno was born with a congenital heart disease and underwent surgery at just three weeks old
China Wong/NHLI via Getty
Nick Foligno on Oct. 9, 2025 in Boston, MassachusettsNEED TO KNOW
- Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno is taking a leave of absence as his 12-year-old daughter Milana undergoes surgery, the team said on Oct. 15
- Milana was born with a congenital heart disease and had her first surgery when she was just three weeks old
- Foligno and his wife Janelle are also parents to sons Hudson, 9, and Landon, 8
Chicago Blackhawks star Nick Foligno is putting his family first as his daughter undergoes surgery.
The Blackhawks released a statement on Wednesday, Oct. 15 announcing that team captain Foligno, 37, is "taking a brief leave of absence as his daughter undergoes follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease."
"Nick, nor the Blackhawks, will have any further comment at this time," the team said on Wednesday.
The hockey star's daughter, Milana Foligno, celebrated her 12th birthday one day earlier. Milana has undergone two valve-replacement surgeries in her young life, with the first being when she was only three weeks old.
Statement from Nick Foligno and the Chicago Blackhawks. pic.twitter.com/pXA7W4ZuX6
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 15, 2025
Milana was diagnosed in 2018 with endocarditis, a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the inner lining of your heart valves and chambers, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Foligno and his wife Janelle, who are also parents to sons Hudson, 9, and Landon, 8, are ambassadors for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
In a 2020 interview with the NHL Players' Association, Janelle spoke about how Milana's diagnosis inspired her and her husband to write a book based on their experiences called, "Dear Heart: A letter to my special heart."
Janelle told the NHLPA, “That started when Milana went through her second open-heart surgery... When she was going through her recovery process, I wrote her a poem."
She continued, "I left it in my phone, and then it turned out that I met an illustrator and we put both of them together and we ended up with this book, one we are going to use as a charity platform for various heart-related charities as we go along."
Nick, meanwhile, told the NHPLA his "eyes lit up" when his wife told him her idea for the book. "I could see the passion in her," he said at the time, adding, "A lot of the time, I’m the one that gets credit because I’m in the spotlight, but a lot of my ideas come from Janelle’s. I’ve learned a lot from her and it’s great that she’s now able to put that out in the world."
Nick is in his first season with the Blackhawks, and his 20th season in the NHL.
Read the original article on People
Category: General Sports
