Brad Pitt on Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy: ‘Our kids helped make her recovery pretty fun’

CEBU, Philippines - Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s six kids were a huge part of the reason the 37-year-old actress opted for a preventive double mastectomy.

Maddox, Zahara, Pax, Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox obviously love their mommy, and adorably, Brangelina’s brood did their part to help Angelina heal after surgery.

In an interview with USA Today published Wednesday, Pitt, 49, explained that he and the kids “set up our own little post-op recovery that became pretty fun,” adding, “You make an adventure out of it.”

“My most proudest thing is our family,” he said. “This isn’t going to get that.”

Brad is particularly proud of Angelina’s brave honesty in sharing her story with the public. “She could have stayed absolutely private about it and I don’t think anyone would have been none the wiser with such good results. But it was really important to her to share the story and that others would understand it doesn’t have to be a scary thing,” he said. “In fact, it can be an empowering thing, and something that makes you stronger and us stronger.”

The World War Z called the experience “an emotional and beautifully inspiring few months.”

“And I’ll tell you, it’s such a wonderful relief to come through this and not have a specter hanging over our heads,” he said. “To know that that’s not going to be something that’s going to affect us.”

In fact, Angelina didn’t let her operation affect her ability to keep her commitments around the world, including a visit to the Congo, attending London’s G-8 Foreign Ministers Conference and traveling to New York to honor Malala Yousazfai, a Pakistani teen activist who was shot by the Taliban.

“This was during stage 2 (when the double mastectomy was performed),” Brad said. “Literally it was just weeks after she’d had truly major surgery.”

Clearly, Angie’s a trouper who, despite hardship, still manages to be supermom, inform and educate millions of women and do her part toward saving the world.

Brad Pitt isn’t the only one in the family supporting Angelina Jolie’s decision to get a preventative double mastectomy.

His mom, Jane Pitt, and Angelina’s brother, James Haven, are also grateful for the mom of six making such a proactive choice when it comes to her health.

“We’re so very proud of Angie,” Jane said in a statement, excerpted by People. “This means so much to our family especially our grandchildren. We love her dearly.”

The Oscar winner’s brother, James, explained that his sister, “like our mother  [Marcheline Bertrand, who lost her battle to ovarian cancer in 2007] always put her children first,” adding, “I am so grateful to be her brother.”

Clearly, the 37-year-old star’s family adores her, and she loves them just as much. In her New York Times op-ed, Angelina explained how Maddox, Zahara, Pax, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne were a huge part of the reason she opted for surgery.

“I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer,” she said. “It is reassuring that they see nothing that makes them uncomfortable. They can see my small scars and that’s it. Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and will do anything to be with them as long as I can.” (FREEMAN)