Colin Farrell has always kept his private life just that – private.
But in a recent interview, the 48-year-old Irish actor opened up about life at home with his 20-year-old son, James, who has Angelman syndrome, a rare neurogenic disorder.
He shared some of the challenging moments he’s faced as a father caring for a son with special needs and explained his decision to start a foundation to support families in similar situations.
“I’m very private. I’ve never allowed crews into our home. It’s a safe space,” Farrell told People magazine. “I believe that if James knew that sharing his story could help other families and young adults with special needs, he would support it wholeheartedly.”
COLUMN FARRELL FILES FOR CONSERVATORSHIP OF SON WITH ANGELMAN SYNDROME
Colin Farrell is a father to two sons — James, 20, and Henry, 14. (Getty Images)
In his candid interview, Farrell described his experiences with James’ early years and the difficult moments leading up to his diagnosis of Angelman syndrome.
“I thought he was just a calm baby, but he wasn’t meeting milestones,” Farrell said. “He wasn’t sitting up, crawling. We knew there were developmental delays.”
James was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome at 2 years old, according to Farrell.
“To be told that he may never walk and then to witness those first steps, it was a beautiful moment.”
Angelman syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes developmental delays, speech and balance issues, intellectual disability, and sometimes seizures, as per the Mayo Clinic.
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