On her 54th birthday, it is worth remembering the tragedy that changed the course of her family’s future. According to IMDb trivia and a 2011 interview with Parade, the loss of her older brother led Vergara to make one of the biggest decisions of her life, relocating much of her family to the United States.
The Family Tragedy That Led Sofía Vergara to Start Over in the United States
In 1998, Vergara’s older brother, Rafael, was killed during an attempted kidnapping in Colombia. Looking back on the tragedy years later, she described it to Parade in simple but devastating terms: “My older brother, Rafael, was killed in Colombia. A nightmare.” The event left a lasting impact on the actress and everyone close to her.
After Rafael’s death, Vergara decided to bring most of her immediate family to Miami. Her mother, sister Verónica, younger brother Julio, and her son Manolo all moved with her, while her father remained in Colombia. Explaining why she made that decision, she recalled, “Mother was like a zombie. I wanted to be with them. So I got a big house and we all lived together.”
The move marked a major turning point in Vergara’s life. Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, she had already begun building a career in television before eventually finding success in the United States. She would later become an international star through her role as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on “Modern Family,” earning multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and becoming one of the highest-paid actresses on American television.
Even after establishing herself in Hollywood, Vergara has continued to speak openly about the importance of family and the events that shaped her journey. Reflecting on the life she built after relocating, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to start over, saying, “I am so grateful to be in this country.” Her story remains one of resilience, showing how a devastating personal loss ultimately influenced the path that led to her remarkable career.