Hollywood actor Colin Farrell couldn’t hold back his tears when his ‘determined’ son, who has a rare genetic disorder, did something ‘magical’.
Earlier this week, the Irish actor opened up on the heartbreaking reason why he and his ex-partner, Kim Bordenave, made the emotional decision to place their 21-year-old son in a long-term care home. Their son, James, had previously been misdiagnosed with cerebral palsy. But it then transpired that he has Angelman syndrome – a rare genetic disorder known to severely impact the nervous system and cause significant learning disabilities.
The parents came to the agreement so that James, who is nonverbal and needs round-the-clock support, would receive the best support possible in care home. Opening up about their decision, Colin shared with Candis Magazine, “It’s tricky, some parents will say ‘I want to take care of my child myself’ and I respect that.” He added, “But my horror would be… What if I have a heart attack tomorrow, and, God forbid, James’ mother, Kim, has a car crash and she’s taken too – and then James is on his own?”.
Colin, who won a Golden Globe for his role in The Penguin, has been open about the challenges and triumphs of raising James, from dealing with the initial misdiagnosis to celebrating every achievement, no matter how small. One heartfelt moment came when he watched his son walk for the first time.
Speaking to PEOPLE magazine last year, he joyfully reflected: “I knew they [James’s carers] were working on walking. And I stood over there, and she let him go, and he just came to [me]. It was so profound. It was magic.” He continued: “I’ll never forget just the face of determination on him as he walked toward me. He took, like, six steps, and I burst into tears.” He also told InStyle: “We share in the smallest victories,” adding: “When James took his first steps… I nearly broke in half.”
Colin also bravely shared how James inspired him to quit drinking in 2006, after years of battling addiction. “I wasn’t suicidal, but I never had much of a will to live a long time,” he previously shared. “Now I want to watch my son grow up, be his friend and his father.”
At the 2007 Special Olympics in Shanghai, he chose to speak publicly about James’ condition for the first time, stating: “He has enriched my life… but I don’t want to minimise the trials that so many families go through.” The doting dad has also established the Colin Farrell Foundation, which supports adult children with intellectual disabilities – a cause close to his heart that stemmed from his concerns for James as he entered adulthood.
Colin has also uses his platform to raise awareness about Angelman syndrome and shed light on the experiences of families coping with children who have special needs. The actor is also a father to 14-year-old Henry Tadeusz Farrell, whom he shares with Alicja Bachleda-Curuś.
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