Selling Sunset’s Amanza Smith reveals she only communicated with kids via FaceTime during hospitalization for rare bone infection to avoid scaring them: ‘I had tubes coming out of me’

Amanza Smith is on the mend after a debilitating and potentially deadly spinal infection. 

The 46-year-old Selling Sunset star was in the hospital for more than a month in June after being diagnosed with osteomyelitis, a rare bone infection.

The reality star said during her hospitalization, she kept daughter Noah, 13, and son Breaker, 12, at a distance. 

‘I had tubes coming out of me — oxygen and an IV, one in my arm, one in my hand, and a catheter,’ she told People. 

‘I was like, “They can’t see me like this, because it’s going to scare them.”‘

Amanza, who had been bearing the pain at home, was rushed to the hospital after she collapsed. 

‘At home, they saw me in so much pain, so I didn’t want them to come,’ the worried mom said. 

She had a friend stay with her kids and communicated with them via FaceTime.

‘At moments, they thought maybe I was lying to them. I was omitting things because I didn’t want them to think something worse was going on.’

Amanza was released after 31 days in the hospital and returned home July 3.

‘When I saw my son for the first time, he fell into my arms and started weeping,’ said the single mom. 

‘He said, “Mama, I was so scared you weren’t going to come home.”’ I had never seen him cry like that.’

‘I realized he was holding it all in — and they don’t have their dad,’ she explained. 

FaceTime: The reality star told People she kept her two children away from the hospital and  communicated with them via FaceTime. ‘I had tubes coming out of me — I was like, “They can’t see me like this, because it’s going to scare them”‘

Emotional: Amanza had an emotional reunion when she returned home July 3. She has been her children’s only parent since their dad, former NFL player Ralph Brown, went missing in 2019 (Pictured in Santa Monica, CA in December 2022)

Changes: Amanza said her experience has resulted in some changes.  ‘I want to eat healthier. There’s the person that I am, and there’s the person that I want to be. I will never take my mobility for granted again’

The children’s father, Amanza’s ex-husband former NFL player Ralph Brown, went missing in 2019.  

‘That fear of a parent leaving and not coming back is in there because that’s what happened with their dad. I would’ve picked him up if I could have, to let him know I wasn’t going anywhere.’

The interior designer still has a lot of work ahead as she aims for a complete recovery, and admitted the experience has had a lasting effect on her.

‘“I don’t know if “reality check” is the word, but it makes you want to change things in your life to make sure that you are alive forever for your kids,’ she explained.

‘I want to eat healthier. There’s the person that I am, and there’s the person that I want to be. I will never take my mobility for granted again. When I can walk and jog again and do Pilates or ballet, I hope I stick to them, because I plan on living to be 107.’