In the modern world, it’s easy to find moms who raise their kids on their own, while fathers who perform this task alone are a rare thing. Nevertheless, the tendency is there and men are sometimes seen taking full responsibility for the upbringing of their kids.
Bright Side collected the stories of celebrity fathers who, due to different circumstances, were raising their kids alone. Some decided to raise their kids by themselves, others — after a divorce with the spouse, and the last group had to live through some tragic events.
1. Liam Neeson
10 years ago, Liam Neeson’s wife Natasha Richardson fell down and hit her head while skiing at a ski resort and died after several days. Neeson stayed alone with their 2 sons Daniel and Micheal, ages 12 and 13. It took a lot of time for the family to overcome this tragedy but they managed to cope with the loss. Liam Neeson dedicated his life to his kids and never married again.
2. Pierce Brosnan
After marrying actress Cassandra Harris, Pierce Brosnan adopted her 2 kids: Charlotte age 9 and Chris age 8. 3 years later, they gave birth to their own son Sean. Later the Brosnan family experienced a tragedy — Cassandra died from cancer. Since then the actor has been raising their kids alone without any intention to get married again. But in 1994, he met a journalist Keely Shaye Smith whom he married officially in 2001. They have 2 sons — Dylan and Paris.
3. Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage’s son, Weston, was born in 1990. The actor wasn’t officially married to the child’s mother and the couple soon broke up. Cage was required to give his ex-girlfriend a house in Hollywood in order to have the right to raise his son alone. Today Weston is 28 years old, he is a musician, and is also starting his career in acting. In 2005 Cage had another son.
4. George Lucas
The creator of the legendary Star Wars saga, George Lucas, has been raising 3 adopted children for many years on his own. Amanda was adopted together with his spouse and she stayed with her father after the divorce. Later he also adopted another daughter, Katie and son, Jett. By the way, they all were filmed in small parts of Star Wars. George Lucas didn’t get married again until 2013. His spouse is the chairwoman of DreamWorks Animation and the president of Ariel Investments, Mellody Hobson. After their marriage, the couple soon gave birth to a daughter.
5. Al Pacino
Al Pacino is the father of 3 kids yet he has never been officially married. His eldest daughter, Julie was born in 1989, and in 2001, actress Beverly D’Angelo gave birth to their twins — Olivia and Anton. The couple broke up after several years, but the parents managed to keep their common child custody which is why their kids spend an equal amount of time with both their father and their mother. The actor has always tried to schedule his working hours so that he could spend more time with his kids.
6. Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell is raising 2 sons: 16-year-old James and 10-year-old Henry. James’s mother is the model Kim Bordenave, but Farrell’s and her relationship didn’t last long. Nevertheless, Colin said that he would provide for his son for life. In 2009, Farrel had his second son Henry. His mother is a Polish actress whom Colin broke up with very quickly.
7. Lenny Kravitz
After his divorce, the musician Lenny Kravitz started to raise their daughter Zoë alone. He had lived with his spouse Lisa Bonet for 3 years. The parents had equal rights to their daughter, but when Zoë turned 11, she moved to live with her father full time. Today Zoë Kravitz is a famous actress and model. This father and daughter often appear at social events together.
Cristiano Ronaldo has many kids. His first son was born by a surrogate mother in 2010. His name is also Cristiano. In 2017, the athlete became a father to 2 twins: daughter Eva and son Mateo. Now he is getting ready for his wedding to Georgina Rodríguez and recently they gave birth to their daughter Alana Martina.
9. Norman Reedus
The star of The Walking Dead TV series, Norman Reedus, has been raising his son Mingus alone for many years. He had been dating supermodel Helena Christensen for about 5 years, but their relationship fell apart. The couple shares joint custody of their son, however, he has lived most of his life with his father in Los Angeles. Today Mingus is 20 years old. Several years ago, Norman Reedus started dating actress Diane Kruger and in 2018, they had a daughter.
Which of these stories impressed you most of all? Please tell us about it in the comments!
Harold lived alone, and one night, he was startled awake by the sound of clanging metal coming from his garage…
The garage lights flickered to life, illuminating the scene before Harold. Dust motes danced in the single beam, revealing three figures scrambling to their feet. They wore identical black hoodies, their faces obscured in the shadows.
“Hey! Get outta here!” Harold shouted, his voice surprisingly steady.
The intruders, startled, reacted like startled cats. Two of them bolted towards the garage door, disappearing into the darkness of the night. But the third, taller than the others, tripped over a discarded tire, tumbling to the concrete floor.
Harold, adrenaline coursing through his veins, moved towards the fallen figure. He grabbed the young man’s arm, intending to pull him to his feet. But as the hood fell back, revealing the intruder’s face, Harold froze.
It was Billy.
Billy, his neighbor’s son. Billy, the boy he’d often seen tinkering with his own beat-up old truck, the boy he’d sometimes offered advice to, a friendly nod and a wave. Billy, whose face was now contorted in a mixture of fear and pain.
Harold quickly released his grip. “Billy?” he stammered, disbelief washing over him.
Billy, still sprawled on the floor, looked up at him, his eyes wide with terror. “Mr. Davis… I… I’m so sorry.”
Harold knelt beside him, his mind reeling. What was Billy doing here? Why was he trying to steal his car?
“What… what are you doing, Billy?” Harold asked, his voice trembling.
Billy hesitated, his eyes darting nervously around the garage. “I… I needed the money,” he mumbled, his voice barely audible. “My mom… she’s sick. The bills are piling up. I… I didn’t know what else to do.”
Harold felt a surge of sympathy, a wave of understanding washing over him. He knew Billy’s family wasn’t well-off. His mother, a single parent, struggled to make ends meet.
“Billy,” Harold said gently, “you shouldn’t have done this. There are other ways to get help.”
Billy looked down at his hands, shamefaced. “I know, Mr. Davis. I’m so sorry. I’ll never do anything like this again.”
Harold sighed. He knew how desperate times could drive people to do desperate things. He remembered a time, long ago, when he had faced his own share of hardships.
“Get up,” Harold said, helping Billy to his feet. “Let’s go inside. We need to talk.”
As they walked towards the house, Harold felt a strange sense of responsibility. He couldn’t simply turn Billy over to the police. He couldn’t let this promising young man throw his life away.
He had to help him.
The next morning, Harold contacted a local social worker. He explained the situation, omitting the attempted theft, focusing instead on Billy’s family’s financial difficulties. The social worker, a kind woman with a gentle demeanor, listened patiently and promised to look into the matter.
Over the next few weeks, Harold kept a close eye on Billy. He offered him odd jobs around the house, helping him earn some extra money. He also spent time talking to him, offering words of encouragement and guidance.
Slowly, things started to improve. Billy found a part-time job at a local mechanic shop, and his mother received assistance from social services. The fear and desperation that had clouded Billy’s eyes began to fade, replaced by a glimmer of hope.
Harold knew he couldn’t erase the past, but he hoped he could help Billy find a better future. He had learned a valuable lesson that night: sometimes, the most unexpected encounters can lead to the most profound connections. And sometimes, the greatest strength lies not in punishment, but in compassion and understanding.
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