Who is Kim Bordenave - the mother of Colin Farrell's son with ultra-rare condition
Colin Farrell, who shares James with Kim Bordenave, opened up about his 20-year-old son James' rare condition, Angelman Syndrome
Colin Farrell recently opened up about his son James, who has the extremely rare Angelman syndrome.
During the interview, the In Bruges actor talked about how his 20-year-old son would be 'on his own' when he turns 21, which is why he set up the Colin Farrell Foundation to provide support for adult children who have intellectual disabilities. The star admitted he wanted to do this for "years" and is finally taking the leap of faith.
Angelman syndrome is a rare genetic condition that affects the nervous system and causes severe physical and learning disabilities. An individual with the condition will have a near-normal life expectancy but will need support throughout their life. James, who Colin shares with ex Kim Bordenave - is non-verbal.
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The Oscar nominee welcomed James with his then-girlfriend, Kim, in 2003. The former couple filed for conservatorship of their son in early 2021 when he was 17 years old - stating in legal documents that James needs daily assistance; including with preparing food and getting dressed all while the parents oversee his health and wellbeing.
Who is Kim Bordenave?
Kim is a model who appeared in commercials and worked with companies like Movado.
She had a short-lived romance with Colin. While she was pregnant with James, she claimed the actor wasn't taking good care of her. The model shared posts on her Livejournal, which are still available to read to this day. When it was first reported that Colin would be taking custody of their child, she wrote: "I NEVER said he could have custody of our son. I plan on raising this child.
"I would also like to say that since you won't be present for our son's birth, I should name him whatever the hell I want." A few days before James' birth, she returned to Livejournal and posted: "I don't really have much to post about, aside from the fact that Colin is still being a d**k to me.
"I'm due this month and I'm nervous as hell, I've got my bags packed and the hospital on speed dial. Wish me lots of luck!" After welcoming James and confirming the news on her blog, she never posted again.
Back in 2012, Colin shared details about the ups and downs of James' condition. He told InStyle at the time: "We share in the smallest victories; the first words at age six or seven, being able to feed oneself at 19, and getting the seizures under control. When James took his first steps at age four, I nearly broke in half!"
Discussing his decision to go public about the condition, Colin added: "It was at the Special Olympics in Shanghai in 2007 that I decided, after consulting with James' mother, that I wanted to talk publicly about the pride and joy I had in our son. He has enriched my life, but I don't want to minimise the trials that so many families go through; the fear, consternation, frustration, and pain... When you're the parent of a child with special needs, it's important to feel that you're not alone."
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