Read more about cookies here. What followed was a protracted custody battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court. 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. The highest court in the land overturned a highly controversial Appeal Court ruling that gave custody of Elijah to Edwards and his wife on the basis that the child would be better off growing up in a black household and in the southern U.S., where the couple had planned to settle. Start your day with Sunrise, a roundup of B.C. Here's the response: Not to start controversy either but Blue Edwards looks half-white to begin with; his skin color is light. Published on November 18, 2019 09:54 PM. He was a married father playing for the Vancouver . I wasn't willing to give him up. 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. ", 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. She agreed. 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. Edwards, on the other hand, is black and earned millions over 10 years playing professional basketball in the NBA. Van Der Beek revealed the couples pregnancy news on Instagram Oct. 7, sharing that he and Kimberly, 37, were thrilled beyond belief to announce that another little bundle of joy has picked us to be their family.. 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.". How was Edwards' actual wife able to play the race card saying Elijah needed to know how to grow up black? 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. During Monday's Dancing with the Stars semifinals episode . During the affair with Kimberly, she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy named Elijah, in June 1997. Please contact sales@alamy.com for more details. Which is why in a time like this its enough to know that youre there. 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. The nine justices reserved their decision in the fight between Theodore "Blue" Edwards, 35, and Kimberly Van de Perre, 27. The Supreme Court of Canada has overturned a B.C. "He hasn't had a consistent home and he's had to really grow up," she said. CANADA-RACE - RTR15NZ8 KIMBERLY VAN DE PERRE WITH SON ELIJAH AFTER BITTER CUSTODY BATTLE WITH NBA STAR. It said that while she was making an effort to be a good mother, "her needs for status, admiration, and attention remain and may result in her acting out in ways which are not in Elijah's best interest. Justice in this case should be colour-blind. 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. It makes you more human.. Here was that synopsis: 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. "I think that it come down to the fact that the trial judge, who is an extremely experienced family trial judge, gave a very carefully worded and considered decision," he said. It doesn't hurt that the producers managed to bring on board Desperate Housewives star Doug Savant. 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. Getting the $4.7-million film, Playing For Keeps, off the ground wasn't quite so easy. Playing For Keeps airs on CTV April 5 at 8 pm. She stated she has other male friends on other NBA teams, although when they come to town, she stated she is 'like the tour guide,' helping them to find places where they can 'meet cute chicks.' Over the next 2 years there was much back and forth. Everything is really positive and good. RM2D3HJB5 - 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. It really helps to go through when you have the support of friends and family. "I know all marriages have trials and tribulations and problems, and I am willing to stand by my husband, as long as he is still a loving man, a good father, and he is responsive to the family, and he puts the family focus first, I'm willing to stand by him as long as it takes, sir," she responded. The judgement on Friday gives a little more stability for Elijah, who was making a seven-hour flight between Van de Perre's home in Vancouver and Edwards' residence in Charlotte, N.C. every three weeks until he developed inner-ear problems due to the frequent flying. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. 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. Elijah was the result. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Accessibility Help. Then Blue had his actual wife step in and testify to the court of appeals. If his parents are smart, they will encourage him to explore both sides, but not to be imprisoned by either. My wife Kimberly and I went through every expecting parents worst nightmare. That's not our heritage, we're strong, black women. He said she was a loving mother whose bond with Elijah far surpassed anything Mr. Edwards could offer. Pfft. Obviously? Audiences watched as Van Der Beek danced a touching Foxtrot to Hoziers Take Me to Church. After his performance, Van Der Beek wept as pro partner Emma Slater embraced him on the ballroom floor. Edwards responded initially by seeking joint custody and liberal access, but later changed . This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Edwards and Van de Perre have been locked in a bitter, and public, custody battle since the child was 15 months old. Happily, for us this time we walked out [of the ultrasound appointment] with tears of joy., RELATED VIDEO: James Van Der Beek Opens Up About Expecting Sixth Child After Heartbreaking Miscarriages, During that nights episode of DWTS, Van Der Beek told PEOPLE that revealing the news on the reality competition show was thrilling and that they decided to get Kimberlys first ultrasound on camera, to open it up and allow people to go through the experience good result or not good result., Its a part of life, he continued. ", http://www.nationalpost.com/news.asp?f=000310/228719. On Friday, Canada's top court overturned the B.C. Kimberly Van de Perre, the mother of a young son, lost custody of the child to her former lover. Alamy and its logo are trademarks of Alamy Ltd. and are registered in certain countries. It arrives at a critical time when, in the highly publicized and controversial case of Elijah Van de Perre, the son of a white mother and black father in British Columbia, the Supreme. But wait apparently someone asked him how the hell this happened. A ruling on who gets custody of son Elijah, now four, is not expected for . 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. It perhaps perfectly encapsulated the tug of love felt by the biological mother, played by Jennifer Finnigan, and the wife of the philandering basketball player, played by Nigerian-born Enuka Okuma. Keeping these cuties happy as can be while I replenish at home.. In it the Blue Edwards guy is very black, the girl is white and the kid is pretty black. Devastated. 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. A trial judge initially awarded Van de Perre sole custody of Elijah, but the British Columbia Court of Appeal reversed that decision. Edwards, 35, met Van de Perre, 27, five years ago in a Vancouver sports-bar. "In fact, Ms. Van de Perre admitted in cross-examination to having had sexual relations with a Mr. Best, Mr. Murdoch and a Mr. Barkley, all of whom were professional basketball players, and to having had relationships of some kind with other men who may or may not have been basketball players, between 1996 and 1998. The Appeal Court judges, however, put more faith in Mrs. Edwards and her ability to hold the relationship together. Then Blue had his actual wife step in and testify to the court of appeals. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Captions are provided by our contributors. For example, it is my impression that she minimizes the extent to which she goes out to nightclubs. It is worth noting that Ally is a beautiful dancer and we love her like family. 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. Custody case involves race, top court told, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Here was that synopsis: Really Blue? 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. "I am extremely relieved, and I am surprised, I am feeling really tired. Edwards, 35, met Van de Perre, 27, five years ago in a Vancouver sports-bar. The two met in a Vancouver bar in 1996 and began an 18-month affair. On June 3, 1997, Elijah Theodore Van de Perre was born. Kimberly Van Der Beek suffered a miscarriage one month after she and James Van Der Beek announced that they were expecting baby No. Jen Juneau is a digital news writer for PEOPLE since 2016. The father, Theodore (Blue) Edwards, is black, and is a former Vancouver Grizzlies player who lives with his wife in North Carolina. He was a married father playing the guard position for the Grizzlies, while Van de Perre was a young beauty who had a special interest in sports athletes. Edwards, 35, met Van de Perre, 27, five years ago in a Vancouver sports-bar. They met five years ago in a sports bar in Vancouver. The father, Theodore (Blue) Edwards, is black, and is a former Vancouver Grizzlies player who lives with his wife in North Carolina. Yet thanks to the courts, his skin colour and his race may determine where he lives and who he grows up with. He is Canadian and he's African-American, and so there are two sides of him that he should be embracing." Amazingly, British Columbia's highest court agreed. Elijah Van de Perre is a four-year-old boy. 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. As his mother points out, he has "two sets of roots. Five kids. Extra thankful right now to have help with my kids. People so often go through it in secret. James and Kimberly are parents to Gwendolyn, 16 months, Emilia, 3, Annabel Leah, 5, and Olivia, 9, plus big brother Joshua, 7. He was ordered to make a lump-sum payment. The mother, Kimberly Van de Perre, is white, and had an affair Mr. Edwards that began in 1996. The Appeal Court judges said Judge Warren focused too much on Mr. Edwards' promiscuity, and not enough on his abilities as a parent. Their union was damaged by the revelation of Mr. Edwards' affair with Ms. Van de Perre. As many of you have said, There are no words and its true. Court of Appeal's ruling, saying that Elijah should live with his mother and that the appeal court did not have sufficient grounds to reverse the decision of the original trial judge. 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. James Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly are mourning the loss of their sixth baby on the way . "I don't think anyone won anything," she said in an interview with CBC Newsworld. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Jump to. They moved back to be closer to family and friends, particularly Elijah's grandparents, whom he is close to. But there needs to be zero shame around it, or around giving yourself the time and space to grieve, Van Der Beek continued. It was a bitter custody battle that lasted three years, but in the end Canada's top court decided that Theodore (Blue) Edwards' son would be better off with his mother. 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His custody battle over son Elijah, 3, with. Theres a weird stigma that might still exist around it things like that is when you need your family and friends.. In a unanimous decision, the court decided that four-year-old Elijah would be . The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled in favour of a single B.C. In Friday's ruling, the Supreme Court disagreed with the Appeal Court's assessment, saying it was wrong to highlight race as an issue in the case. Today, in a big Canadian city with dozens of ethnic groups and countless mixed-race couples, he is unlikely to attract so much as a raised eyebrow. At the time of the interview, he was 11, thriving and doing well in school. ", In playing Beverly Rivers, Okuma faced the challenge of playing a character who is a rock but who is also experiencing pain. 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