Colin Farrell and his ex, model Kim Bordenave have filed for conservatorship of their teenage son, James, who has been diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome.
According to the court petition obtained by E! News, Colin and Kim are requesting to manage James’ personal needs, including medical decisions, as it’s stated that he is unable to care for himself.
James, who is Colin’s eldest child at the age of 17, has been diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, described in the court document as “a genetic disorder which causes developmental delays and disabilities and affects the nervous system.”
Colin’s legal team notes that James “is nonverbal and has issues with his fine motor skills, making him unable to properly care for his own physical health and well-being and requiring him to need assistance in preparing food, eating, bathing, and clothing himself.”
Because of this, Colin and Kim are seeking to manage where James lives, access any confidential records, withhold or grant marriage and medical consent, make decisions about his education and have the authority over his social or sexual relationships.
Colin recently spoke about James at the 2020 Global Summit and Mini-Gala for the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics (FAST), sharing how it felt to see his son take his first steps two weeks before his 4th birthday.
“I’ll never forget them,” he began.
“A child taking their first steps is always such a profound experience. Parents are disgusted if they miss it… Tears can flow, and it’s such a huge kind of profound moment in the development of a child’s life and in the relationship between a child and the child’s parents.”
He continued, “So when you’re told your child might not walk and then your child does walk, two weeks short of his 4th birthday, the absence magnified the presence, when the presence arrived. And in the same way, the absence of certain abilities for our children… magnifies the need for us to all come together.”