Colin Farrell has urged the world to treat his son, James, ‘with kindness’ over his rare neurogenetic disorder.
The In Bruges actor shares the 20-year-old with Kim Bordenave – the former couple welcomed their first child together in 2003.
It was previously revealed James suffers from Angelman syndrome, a complex neurological condition which can cause movement disorder, difficulty swallowing, slow brain wave patterns, small flat head, epilepsy, low muscle tone and breathing problems.
The Hollywood icon became emotional as he opened up about the condition for the first time in a new interview, unveiling the Colin Farrell foundation to provide help and support for adults who have intellectual disabilities, and their families.
‘I want the world to be kind to James,’ he told People Magazine. ‘I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.
‘I’m proud of him every day, because I just think he’s magic.’
‘Once your child turns 21, they’re kind of on their own,’ he shared of why he decided to launch the foundation.
‘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.’
As a baby, Colin explained that James wasn’t hitting certain developmental milestones – he was unable to sit up, crawl or walk – leading to a ‘common misdiagnosis’ of cerebral palsy at one year old.
He was two years old when another doctor suggested that he should get tested for Angelman syndrome.
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