Colin Farrell says son with Angelman Syndrome 'saved his life' as he opens up on rare condition

Colin Farrell has emotionally told of how his son James saved his life when he entered rehab.

The Oscar nominated actor shares 21-year-old son James with ex-girlfriend Kim Bordenave, as well as teenage son Henry with actress Alicja Bachleda-Curus.

Back in 2007, Colin revealed that James had been diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, a neuro-genetic disorder which causes delayed development and seizures and can lead to problems with speech and balance.

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Colin has been open with his struggles with alcoholism in the past and has been sober for nearly 20 years. He says James "saved his life" upon entering rehab".

"When I went into rehab for the first time, it was in 2006 they were all talking about 'higher power' and all this and I was just a bit too angry to be dealing with the idea of higher powers and stuff," Colin said.

"But I very clearly made James my higher power. I had pictures of James on the cover of my binder.

"I made James my higher power and I knew that all children need their parents and I knew James needed care, but I also knew that he needed a little bit more than most.

"He kind of saved my life in a way man."

The Penguin star says his son reminds him of Peter Pan.

He told Ray D'Arcy on RTE Radio 1: "He's the boy that'll never fully grow up and that's just James. He has a childlike wonder to him, which is beautiful."

But Colin added that it saddens him that James won't experience the world the same way as most people will.

"Do I wish James could get fired? Yes, because that would mean that he would be able to hold a job in the first place. Do I wish that he would get his heartbroken? Yes, because that would mean that he'd have a romantic relationship in the first place.

"All these things, all these dreams that you have for your child you wish would come into play.

"Like so many parents fear the day that their child leaves the home. I wish that James could look at me someday and say, 'Dad, I'm gone, I want to go'."

Colin told Ray that his privilege as a famous actor has helped him and James' mother to manage life with his condition, but that he still struggles and was quick to acknowledge that not all families have the same advantage.

He continued: "I'm well aware of the means that I have so if I'm struggling with the means I have with what I've done and I've been afforded the opportunity to do and the money I’ve been afforded the opportunity to earn over the years, imagine the families out there that are just holding down jobs and struggling every day to provide the care for their kids? They're just at their wits end, so there is a lot to be done.

"I've spoken to numerous parents over the years who are caring for their children with special needs and their fear of what happens when they're gone? That's also my greatest fear."

Colin added: "While I'm still alive, I can make sure I can be a watchdog. I can make sure that anyone that has any contact with James has his best interests at heart."

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