Colin Farrell Opens Up About His Son with Angelman Syndrome and Starting a Foundation for Adults with Special Needs
Colin Farrell has launched a foundation to support adults with intellectual disabilities, inspired by his 20-year-old son James, who has Angelman syndrome.
![Colin Farrell in The Penguin (YouTube/Max) Colin Farrell in The Penguin (YouTube/Max)](https://www.pinkvilla.com/images/2024-08/216074960_colin-farell-as-the-penguin.jpg)
Colin Farrell recently spoke about life together with James, who he had with ex-partner Kim Bordenave, detailing the challenges and joys of raising him. He started a foundation in honor of his son with Angelman Syndrome to aid adult children who have an intellectual disability.
Recently, Farrell let People magazine into his Los Angeles home, which usually serves as a comfortable place for him. He told the outlet about his son James, "I want the world to be kind to James. I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect."
James will be turning 21 soon, signifying a major change where many of the kid's special needs support systems would no longer be available. This poses difficulties, according to Farrell, since these young people have a hard time finding their place in society once they are no longer being helped. This motivated Farrell to launch his foundation.
The Colin Farrell Foundation will support adults with learning disabilities through inspiration from his son James, 20 years old, who has the rare neurogenetic condition of Angelman syndrome. The foundation will focus on representation, education, and creative options that help bridge the gaps that often leave young people without support at the age when they can no longer access services aimed specifically at children.
The aim of this organization is therefore to ensure that individuals like James can fulfill their dreams through closing this gap.
The Penguin actor expressed deep pride in James who has fought hard to overcome his condition’s challenges. Despite his struggles, James has made great strides towards development, something that Farrell refers to as nothing short of magical.
He said to the outlet, “I speak to James as if he’s 20 and has perfect fluency with the English language and age-appropriate cognitive ability. But I can’t discern a particular answer from him as to whether he’s comfortable with all this or not, so I have to make a call based on knowing James’s spirit and what kind of young man he is and the goodness that he has in his heart.”
For Colin Farrell, every person living with an intellectual disability deserves kindness, respect and equal opportunities in life. The actor asserted that all his actions were meant for honoring James's incredible spirit.
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