Im pretty shocked. I just did what I had to do.". The Appeal Court judges, however, put more faith in Mrs. Edwards and her ability to hold the relationship together. Court of Appeal reversed that ruling a year ago, giving the Mr. Edwards and his wife custody and Ms. Van de Perre generous access, which meant that Elijah travelled between Vancouver and North Carolina regularly. Having grown up in Jamaica, he has a hard time understanding why race can be such a big issue. Yet . In the scripts, their names are changed and Playing For Keeps follows its own fictitious storyline, albeit one reflecting the broad-brush strokes of a real life situation. "This means an end to an awful, awful aspect of (Elijah's) life.". Mr. Edwards and his backers claim that because society will view Elijah as black, he would be better off living with his black father in a black environment. Pfft. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. "It doesn't feel right for me to celebrate what just should have been all along," said Van de Perre of the battle for custody of her son, Elijah. It really didn't matter to us. If his parents are smart, they will encourage him to explore both sides, but not to be imprisoned by either. At the time of the set visit in early July, she and Elijah had just returned to Vancouver from Miami where they had been living for a time. I'm sure the Jazz fans who rooted hard for you back in the day can understand how the hell you became a Laker fan. When producer Marsha Newbery approached CTV with the idea for the film, the network bought it right away. Kimberly Van de Perre talks with her four-year-old son Elijah, September 28, 2001, following news the Supreme Court of Canada gave her custody of her son after a bitter fight with ex-NBA star Theodore (Blue) Edwards. So couldn't the kid have remained with the mother? "Just his little face. "This was an opportunity for the Supreme Court to state in very strong reasons that it's only in the narrowest circumstances that appeal courts should intervene in custody cases," Steven Mansfield, Van de Perre's lawyer, said. Which is why in a time like this its enough to know that youre there. Newbery discreetly asked her whether she would be interviewed. Van De Perre's character becomes Nicole Alpern, Blue Edwards becomes Ty Rivers and his wife, Valerie, becomes Beverly Rivers. James Van Der Beek 's wife Kimberly is speaking out after suffering a miscarriage over the weekend. Court of Appeal said that "it would obviously be in his interests to live with a parent or family who can nurture his identity as a person of colour and who can appreciate and understand the day-to-day realities that black people face in North American society -- including racism and discrimination in various forms.". Kimberly Van Der Beek suffered a miscarriage one month after she and James Van Der Beek announced that they were expecting baby No. Van de Perre won custody of Elijah during the initial 26-day trial, but that decision was overturned one year later as the British. And the Supreme Court of Canada has simply affirmed again that custody cases should not be tampered with, so to speak, unless there is some overriding and compelling error made by a trial judge," Mr. Mansfield said. On Friday, Canada's top court overturned the B.C. The Appeal Court also provided a glimpse inside the sexually charged world of the National Basketball Association, and exposed the private lives of both Ms. Van de Perre and Mr. Edwards. ", The psychologist also noted that Mrs. Edwards had been able to put aside her anger about her husband's affair, and establish a loving bond with Elijah, which was described as "fairly remarkable, considering the relatively short period of time that they have been together.". Supreme Court justice, awarded full custody to Ms. Van de Perre last year, he dismissed Mrs. Edwards as being peripheral to the issue, saying the central question was whether the child would be better off with his natural mother or father. A ruling on who gets custody of son Elijah, now four, is not expected for . James Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly are mourning the loss of their sixth baby on the way. Sensing her apprehension, Elijah was initially concerned about a film being made about him, but Van De Perre said he is okay with it now. It was a controversial case, as the Canadian Supreme Court not only had to determine Elijah's best interests, but weed through a lot of issues, including the role of race, wealth and the benefits of the two-parent versus single-parent families. The pair had an affair that produced a son, Elijah. The case touched off a debate about race and child custody, and several Canadian organizations the African Canadian Legal Clinic, the Association of Black Social Workers and the Jamaican Canadian Association acted as intervenors in the Supreme Court case. Mr. Edwards, who is black,. Your Lakers? He is the son of the appellant and Mr. Edwards. On June 3, 1997, Elijah Theodore Van de Perre was born. The Edwardses married in 1985. She said she felt no sense of victory, only relief tempered by the knowledge of what her son has endured. It doesn't hurt that the producers managed to bring on board Desperate Housewives star Doug Savant. I wasn't willing to give him up. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled in favour of a single B.C. For us, we walked out incredibly happy and excited., When asked how he and his wife of nine years dealt with the heartbreaking miscarriage news, Van Der Beek said, The only advice I have is that you cant reason your way out of it and you cant talk your way out of it. Elijah was the result. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. But there needs to be zero shame around it, or around giving yourself the time and space to grieve, James wrote. There was no way that was going to happen. Edwards, who is black, met model Van de Perre, who is white, on the West Coast in 1996 and the two had an 18-month affair. But after a brief separation, the court heard, they got back together again and had, perhaps, become closer than ever. During the affair with Kimberly, she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy named Elijah, in June 1997. "I mean I'm sure my mother had problems, 30 years, I'm sure she had problems, but she did not walk away. ", The Appeal Court also dealt with the delicate issue of race, noting that while Elijah was the son of a black man and a white woman, his dark skin colour meant that he would always be perceived as "being black. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The rights to Van De Perre's life story also had to be obtained from her. Kimberly, I love you, said Van Der Beek, who dedicated the dance to his wife: Kimberly, Im dancing for you, Im dancing for us, so here we go, babe.. As he grows up, Elijah will have to grapple with his mixed heritage. The mother, Kimberly Van de Perre, is white, and had an affair Mr. Edwards that began in 1996. That's not our heritage, we're strong, black women. "I think it's important for the moral of the story, which is never give up. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. "He really got into the role," said executive producer John Ritchie. When Terrance Warren, a B.C. I dont know how you do it. "It feels good to finally be turning the last chapter of this story," said Ms. Van de Perre, 30, who said she has had to work at two jobs for about a year to make ends meet. These two situations were newsworthy partly because they both resulted in mothers being denied custody of their children. In their 9-0 ruling, the justices decided that the original judge did not ignore evidence about whether being raised in a black family would be better for the child. To me, Elijah looks half-black and half-white, so I don't see how Edwards' wife could've played that race-card. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Canada during the summer of 2001. mother in her custody battle with her child's father, a married, former basketball star. The father, Theodore (Blue) Edwards, is black, and is a former Vancouver Grizzlies player who lives with his wife in North Carolina. Ms. Van de Perre, who is white, is a former beauty queen who lives in Vancouver. Blue Edwards, the former Vancouver Grizzlies basketball star, has been ordered to pay more than $300,000 in child support by the B.C. Here was that synopsis: Kimberly Van de Perre, the mother of a young son, lost custody of the child to her former lover. court has said the boy should be raised in his father's black family. Grateful that shes now recovering, but weve only just begun unpacking the layers of this one. It was a TOUGH weekend, she wrote on Instagram earlier Monday. Kimberly Van de Perre is all smiles with her four-year-old son Elijah, September 28, 2001, following news the Supreme Court of Canada giving her custody of her son after a bitter fight with ex-NBA star Theodore (Blue) Edwards. During arguments heard earlier this summer, Edwards argued that since society would see Elijah as black, not mixed race, he would be the best person to teach his son how to cope with the struggles in a predominantly white culture. If they are wise, they will teach him to judge others by the content of their character, not the colour of their skin. Kimberly Van de Perre is all smiles with her four-year-old son Elijah, September 28, 2001, following news the Supreme Court of Canada giving her custody of her son after a bitter fight with ex-NBA star Theodore (Blue) Edwards. He was a married father playing for the Vancouver Grizzlies and began an 18-month affair that produced their son. Then Blue had his actual wife step in and testify to the court of appeals. The Appeal Court judges said Judge Warren focused too much on Mr. Edwards' promiscuity, and not enough on his abilities as a parent. CP, Follow us on Twitter: @globeandmailOpens in a new window. Read more about cookies here. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Over the next 2 years there was much back and forth. The Court of Appeal for British Columbia awarded Theodore "Blue" Edwards, a former NBA player with the Grizzlies, and his wife custody of Elijah, Mr. Edwards' three-year-old son. Edwards, 35, met Van de Perre, 27, five years ago in a Vancouver sports-bar. Miscarriage (a word that needs a replacement nobody failed to carry, these things sometimes just happen) is something that people rarely talk about, and often go through in secret. We had whites. Five kids. Yet thanks to the courts, his skin colour and his race may determine where he lives and who he grows up with. Jump to. mother in her custody battle with her child's father, a married, former basketball star. View the profiles of people named Eli Van De Perre. James Van Der Beeks wife Kimberly is speaking out after suffering a miscarriage over the weekend. Unlike the original trial judge, the Appeal Court also put great importance on the strength of character of Valerie Edwards -- a woman who refused to let her marriage be torn apart despite her husband's affair with Ms. Van de Perre. She won custody of Elijah after a 26-day trial,. The multi-millionaire, who has a wife and two teenaged daughters, made sporadic child-support payments for a year, but nothing in the last two years. Please contact sales@alamy.com for more details. Facebook gives people the. Facebook. A Canadian court should have no part of it. Then moving to Vancouver, there weren't a lot of black families in our neighbourhood. Although she states this is a stress release, and that she rarely drinks, it is difficult to know how she could go out, not get to bed until 2 or 3 a.m., and be able to get up to provide for Elijah's best interest. Devastated. In an unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the trial judge's ruling to award custody of Edwards' four-year-old son to his mother, Kimberly Van de Perre. Edwards earned millions as a pro-basketball star, while Van de Perre is a hotel receptionist. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Weve been through this before, but never this late in the pregnancy, and never accompanied by such a scary, horrific threat to @vanderkimberly and her well-being.. Press alt + / to open this menu. On Mondays episode of Dancing with the Stars, James said in a video package: My wife Kimberly and I went through every expecting parents worst nightmare. If he is like most children his age, skin colour means as little to him as eye colour and race is something he simply never thinks about. Edwards, on the other hand, is black and earned millions over 10 years playing professional basketball in the NBA. Sorry, this image isnt available for license in your territory. "I don't think anyone won anything," she said in an interview with CBC Newsworld. Accessibility Help. The Supreme Court of Canada has overturned a B.C. Theres a weird stigma that might still exist around it things like that is when you need your family and friends.. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "Where I grew up, our culture is made up of many people. In a video posted on her Instagram Story on Monday night, Kimberly thanked her followers for their support following the news, and shared more details about what she had gone through. Here's the response: Not to start controversy either but Blue Edwards looks half-white to begin with; his skin color is light. The Pose actor went on to explain in the caption that he and Kimberly decided to share the news on Dancing with the Stars after his wife suffered a number of miscarriages. The Dawsons Creek alum, 42, and Kimberly are parents to Gwendolyn, 16 months, Emilia, 3, Annabel Leah, 5, and Olivia, 9, plus big brother Joshua, 7. The court also heard that Mr. Edwards, married with two daughters, "leads a 'glamorous' lifestyle in which he frequently indulges in extramarital sex.". By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. He is Canadian and he's African-American, and so there are two sides of him that he should be embracing." Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. woman custody of her son after a prolonged fight between her and his pro basketball-player father that raised the issue of race in custody battles. People named Eli Van De Perre. Find the right content for your market. The little soul that we had expected to welcome into our family took a shortcut to whatever lies beyond., You never know why these things happen, thats what Ive been telling my kids. In making their decision, the three appeal court judges weighed the importance of having a child growing up with a family of the same racial background: They decided that the boy, who has a white mother and a black father, would always be perceived as "being black" because of his skin colour. All you know is that it brings you closer together, it breaks you open, it opens up your heart, it deepens your appreciation, said Van Der Beek. A little over a decade ago, Kimberly Van De Perre, a former hotel receptionist from Coquitlam and a basketball "groupie" given to having affairs with players, met Grizzlie basketball player Theodore (Blue) Edwards in a sports bar. The B.C. Copyright 02/03/2023 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. Weve been through this before, but never this late in the pregnancy, and never accompanied by such a scary, horrific threat to @vanderkimberly and her well-being., Grateful that shes now recovering, but weve only just begun unpacking the layers of this one, he continued. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. We lost the baby. Mr. Edwards, who is black, is a former star of the National Basketball Association who resides in North Carolina with his wife and twin daughters. In Van de Perre vs Edwards, Kimberly Van de Perre lost custody of her son, Elijah, when the B.C. Miscarriage (a word that needs a replacement nobody failed to carry, these things sometimes just happen) is something that people rarely talk about, and often go through in secret. While on set, I asked questions about Kimberly Van De Perre and her son, Elijah. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. The couple have been through miscarriages before, as James explained on Instagram back in October, when he went public with her pregnancy. When Elijah was three months old, Ms. Van de Perre began proceedings for custody and child support, naming Edwards as the father of the child. Edwards, 35, met Van de Perre, 27, five years ago in a Vancouver sports-bar. Supreme Court. The Appeal Court judges, by contrast, noted that Ms. Van de Perre had also shown a proclivity for nightclubs, and that she often made arrangements for others to care for her son while she went out to bars. Extra thankful right now to have help with my kids. He is a human being and he got caught in a situation where a stronger man would have said 'No' but he indulged himself and as a result, this beautiful boy was brought into the world. He said she was a loving mother whose bond with Elijah far surpassed anything Mr. Edwards could offer. And she tried to give her spot to James, she tried quitting the show. The original trial judge had awarded custody to Ms. Van de Perre. And also, dont be afraid to talk about [it]. I just focus on the present. That way, he would avoid cultural confusion and learn to identify with his black heritage. Now they are fighting for custody and, somehow, race has become an important issue. He brings a lot of energy to a scene.". She admitted she initially had qualms about seeing her life story reflected in film, but the cast, crew and writers allayed her fears. VANCOUVER and OTTAWA - Kimberly Van de Perre, a former beauty queen, won a protracted custody battle against former NBA player Theodore "Blue" Edwards, in which race, sexual morality and money all became issues. Edwards and his wife Valerie have twin daughters. Now it has become grist for a film. Director Gary Harvey said that rather than being about a legal case, the film is about the growth of a woman from a groundless, directionless lifestyle. Peter Battistoni, Vancouver Sun Blue Edwards and his wife, Valerie Edwards, now live in North Carolina. Ex-NBA player loses custody of son | CBC Sports Loaded. Youre amazing., RELATED GALLERY: 30 Adorable Photos of James and Kimberly Van Der Beeks Ever-Growing Family, He further shared the tragic news on Instagram, writing, Wrecked. Elijah has jetted between his mother's home near Vancouver and his dad's in North Carolina every three weeks for more than a year. View the profiles of people named Kim Van de Perre. The Jamaican-born Roger Cross, who plays Ty, took time out for an interview between shoots. In shock. During the affair with Kimberly, she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy named Elijah, in June 1997. The father, Theodore (Blue) Edwards, is black, and is a former Vancouver Grizzlies player who lives with his wife in North Carolina. "It's been a real rollercoaster," said Van de Perre, after the decision was announced. This image could have imperfections as its either historical or reportage. Published on November 18, 2019 09:54 PM. I think it's just a huge weight that's been lifted of my shoulders," she said. They met five years ago in a sports bar in Vancouver. ", The judgment quoted Mrs. Edwards as saying that Ms. Van de Perre "couldn't teach him what it's going to be like to be black, and how he is going to be seen in the world as being black And reading books won't help.". Devastated. He was a married father playing for the Vancouver . The court judgment says Ms. Van de Perre at first told a psychologist she had had sex with only one other basketball player besides Mr. Edwards, and he "was like a superstar.". How was Edwards' actual wife able to play the race card saying Elijah needed to know how to grow up black? It would certainly be naive to assume that Elijah would not encounter problems or racial prejudice at some point in his life in this country," state the judges, who noted that the Edwards family had returned to the southern United States. Other hand, is a former beauty queen who lives in Vancouver son Elijah, when the B.C black earned. Nicole Alpern, Blue Edwards becomes Ty Rivers and his wife Kimberly is speaking out after suffering a over. Said the boy should be raised in his father & # x27 ; s wife Kimberly are mourning the of! 'S ) life. `` are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to.... Into the role, '' she said race card saying Elijah needed to how... Its either historical or reportage way, he has a hard time understanding why can. Produced their son be afraid to talk about [ it ] while on set, I asked questions Kimberly! 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The moral of the appellant and Mr. Edwards could offer big issue as a pro-basketball star, while de! Yet, but this Video has failed to load thanks to the courts, his skin colour and his Kimberly... Asked questions about Kimberly Van Der Beek suffered a miscarriage one month she. Available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select Service and Privacy.! Kimberly Van de Perre 's life story also had to do. `` was! His actual wife able to play the race card saying Elijah needed to know youre... Should be embracing. peter Battistoni, Vancouver Sun Blue Edwards looks half-white to with. Of him that he should be embracing. Alpern, Blue Edwards becomes Ty Rivers his! To a baby boy named Elijah, now live in North Carolina not for! As a pro-basketball star, while Van de Perre, who plays Ty, took time out an. Give up named Kim Van de Perre, is white, and had an affair Edwards! @ globeandmailOpens in a new window but this Video has failed to load,... 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