Colin Farrell reveals heartbreaking reason why he’s putting his disabled son in ‘long term care’
ACTING sensation Colin Farrell has revealed the heartbreaking reason why he’s planning on putting his disabled son into a long term care facility.
The Banshees Of Inisherin and Penguin actor is a doting father to James, 21, who has Angelman syndrome.
Angelman syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes intellectual and developmental delay.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Angelman syndrome causes delayed development, problems with speech and balance, mental disability, and, sometimes, seizures”.
Colin’s son James was diagnosed at just four years old, and now he is in his 20s, his father is looking to get him put into long term care.
James Padraig Farrell, Colin and his ex Kim Bordenave’s son, was born on September 12, 2003.
In October 2007, the actor revealed to the world that his son had the syndrome.
Speaking to Candis Magazine for their May 2025 issue, Colin revealed that he and his ex have made a decision.
He shared how he and Kim plan to have James settled in a long-term care facility.
“It’s tricky, some parents will say: ‘I want to take care of my child myself.’
“And I respect that,” he told the outlet,
“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’S REASONS FOR DECISION
“Then he’s a ward of the state and he goes where?
“We’d have no say in it,” he went on.
He then revealed that he and Kim are hoping to “find somewhere we like where he can go now, while we’re still alive and healthy, that we can go and visit, and we can take him out sometimes”.
Colin continued: “We want him to find somewhere where he can have a full and happy life, where he feels connected.
“He needs a bigger life than we can afford him, by having a sense of community that he feels connected to.
Symptoms of Angelman syndrme
Accoding to Mayo Clinic, symptoms of Angelman syndrome include:
- Developmental delays, including no crawling or babbling at 6 to 12 months.
- Mental disability, also called intellectual disability.
- No speech or little speech.
- Trouble walking, moving or balancing.
- Smiling and laughing often and seeming happy.
- Being easy to excite.
- Trouble sucking or feeding.
- Trouble going to sleep and staying asleep.
The health provider also states that people who have Angelman syndrome may also have:
- Seizures, often beginning between 2 and 3 years of age.
- Stiff or jerky movements.
- Small head size by age 2.
- Tongue thrusting.
- Hair, skin and eyes that are light in color.
- Odd behaviors, such as hand flapping and arms uplifted while walking.
- Crossed eyes, also caused strabismus.
- Curved spine, also called scoliosis.
“By going out in the van every day and going to the supermarket and doing the shopping together.
“By going to the beach, museums, movies, all that stuff.
“Just a connected life.”
COLIN’S PLEA TO THE WORLD
Last summer, Colin opened up candidly about his son’s condition.
Speaking to People Magazine, Colin said how he wanted the world to treat his son with kindness and respect.
“I want the world to be kind to James.
“I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect,” he said.
Colin went on to say: “Once your child turns 21, they’re kind of on their own.
“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.”
Around the same time of his interview with the outlet, Colin announced the launch of the Colin Farrell Foundation.
The foundation is “committed to transforming the lives of individuals and families living with intellectual disability through education, awareness, advocacy, and innovative programs”.