Celebrity

Melissa Joan Hart's Mom 'Recovering Well' After Brain Surgery

"She was so tough and such a good healer," says the actress. "It's amazing to see"

Published on June 9, 2009 07:10 AM

Melissa Joan Hart’s mother Paula is progressing “quickly” after brain surgery two weeks ago to remove a benign tumor, the actress says.

“Every day, she is like a different person,” Hart, 33, told PEOPLE at Sunday’s A Time for Heroes Celebrity Carnival in Los Angeles. “It’s amazing to see. It’s a really fast recovery … Everything worked out really well.”

Hart credits her 53-year-old mom’s strength with motherhood. “She’s had seven kids, six of them with no drugs,” says Hart. “She was so tough, and she’s such a good healer. It’s amazing to see. One day she can’t walk, the next day she’s running up and down the block.”

The younger Hart has been busy during the last month, when her mom had the “intense” surgery. She opened a candy store, SweetHarts, and revealed her post-pregnancy weight loss to PEOPLE.

“My mother had brain surgery the same day that [PEOPLE cover story] came out,” Hart says. “I haven’t slept. I can’t wait to crash next week. My husband is out of town right now. As soon as he gets back, I’m handing him the kids for a few days. I’m going to hibernate. It was unbelievable how much was going on. It was probably the busiest week of my life.”

As for Hart’s sweet new business, she says candy and ice cream is the perfect guilty pleasure – even if it is not her own.

“I’m not much of a sweet person. I do indulge here and there,” Hart says. “I like the frozen yogurt. I love to pile on the mango, coconut – and maybe some chocolate sprinkles.”