A-list star told his son ‘may never walk’

Hollywood icon Colin Farrell fought back tears in a heartbreaking interview with his son, who was diagnosied with an incredibly rare syndrome.

Colin Farrell fought back tears as he gave a rare insight personal life and the struggles he’s had raising a son with a rare disorder, revealing he was once told by doctors his son might “never walk”.

In a new interview, the Irish actor, 48, gave a rare glimpse of what life is like at home with his 20-year-old son, James, who has a rare neurogenic disorder called Angelman syndrome.

“I’m very private. I’ve never had crews within our home. It’s a very safe space,” Farrell told People magazine, whom he invited into his home after deciding to launch the Colin Farrell Foundation in support of others like his son.

Farrell opened up his home to cameras for the first time as he shared his son's journey. Picture: People Magazine.

“I have to, or choose to believe, that if James knew that doing this could help families and other young adults who live with special needs, he would say, ‘Dad, what are you talking about? Why are you even asking me? It’s a no-brainer’,” Farrell said.

He said his son was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome when he was about two-year-old.

Angelman syndrome is a neurogenetic disorder that “causes delayed development, problems with speech and balance, mental disability, and, sometimes, seizures”.

Some of those with the syndrome are bound to a wheelchair for life, which was something Farrell had to come to terms with as a young father.

The actor shared that while his son does have a good quality of life, regular tasks are much more difficult for him than someone without the syndrome. Day-to-day things such as “putting a T-shirt on” can take him as long as “90 seconds”.

“I thought he was just a chill baby, but then he just wasn’t hitting benchmarks,” Farrell said. “He wasn’t sitting up, crawling. … We knew something was up developmental, delays.

“I’ll never forget James’ first steps,’ he recalled.

But then, a miracle happened.

Farrell fought back tears speaking about the struggles his son faces. Picture: People Magazine.

“Two weeks short of his fourth birthday. We were in the house we lived in at the time, and Deborah (a member of James’ care team) came upstairs and said, ‘James has something to show you.’

“She said go over there. She let him go,” Farrell said, while fighting back tears.

“It was so profound. It was magic. I’ll never forget the face of determination as he just walked towards me. I burst into tears. It was amazing.

“To be told that he may never walk and see those first steps, I’ll just never forget it. It was so overwhelmingly beautiful.”

Farrell shares James with his ex, model Kim Bordenave. He is also a dad to 14-year-old Henry, who was his date to the 2023 Oscars

James will turn 21 in September, which means that a large number of safeguards and educational programs he had access to will expire, as he is deemed a legal “adult.”

“Once your child turns 21, they’re kind of on their own,” Farrell told the magazine.

“All the safeguards that are put in place, special ed classes, that all goes away, so you’re left with a young adult who should be an integrated part of our modern society and more often than not is left behind.”

The movie star went on to share that James suffered with terrible seizures when he was younger, and recalled spending many times being in the back of ambulances with him.

However, Farrell added that “thankfully” he hadn’t had one in more than a decade.

Originally published as A-list star told his son ‘may never walk’