In a terrible twist of irony, the 66-year-old actress was auditioning for her role when her sister Barbra, 57, was finally diagnosed as having the disease. Gay Saget died three years ago, at age 42, after losing a five-year battle against scleroderma the disease that slowly and agonizingly turns its victims' skin and internal organs to stone.įor the cast of 'For Hope,' watching Saget re-create the tragedy of his sister's life was a painful experience.īut none found it more painful than veteran actress Polly Bergen, who plays Saget and Gay's mom. The wisecracking presenter moves behind the cameras to direct a harrowing film based on the tragic real-life story of his older sister.
