Celebrities may seem like they have perfect lives but that doesn’t always turn out to be the case – these 5 celebrities all have children with special needs. Coming to terms with having a disabled child must be difficult but these celebrities have gushed at how proud they are of their kids and some say they wouldn’t change their situation if they had the chance to do so. Although they’ve been through a lot as they take care of their child, these stars are still grateful for what they have and amazed by any progress their children make as they grow older.
Benjamin Bratt
Law & Order actor Benjamin has a daughter named Sophia with a brain injury: “What my wife and I faced as parents was like being in a tunnel of darkness for the first few years of her life, because we didn’t know what to do. But we educated ourselves, and assembled the best team of therapists we could. Sophia has blown us away with the amount of progress she’s made. She understands everything and she’s quick to laugh, she’s loving and a physically beautiful child.”
Colin’s son James suffers from Angelman Syndrome: “The only time I’m reminded that there’s something different about him, that he has some deviation from what’s perceived to be normal, is when I see him with other kids his age. Then it comes back to me. But I’ve never thought of my son as being someone with a disability. From day one I felt that he’s the way he’s meant to be. Some of the best things that happen to you in life are unplanned, and that’s what Jimmy (James) was. He was a gift. There’s no embarrassment or heartbreak.”
Jenny McCarthy
Jenny’s son Evan has Autism but is making improvements all of the time: “Evan couldn’t talk — now he talks. Evan couldn’t make eye contact — now he makes eye contact. Evan was antisocial — now he makes friends. It was amazing to watch, over the course of doing this, how certain therapies work for certain kids and they completely don’t work for others … When something didn’t work for Evan, I didn’t stop. I stopped that treatment, but I didn’t stop.”
Katie Price
Katie’s son Harvey has Prader-Willi Syndrome: ”He’s my son and I love him, but anyone who knows him knows he is the king of the house. He can be quite controlling. I have to close the car door in a certain way. If someone comes to the front door, they have to ring the bell, or he goes mad. Any kids who come to my house tend to be a bit wary of Harvey. He might be sitting there one minute then he’d turn around and whack one of them. He finds it funny. It can be quite challenging but I wouldn’t change him for anything.”
Toni Braxton
Toni’s son Diesel was diagnosed with Autism aged 3: “My youngest son Diezel suffers from autism and he was diagnosed when he was three. He’s eight now so it has been a long road, a long struggle. As a mom I knew something was different about him when he was probably nine months old. By the time he became a year and a half I thought ‘He’s not developing like his older brother.’ It was inconclusive, and finally at three they said, ‘Yes, he’s autistic.'”
