Trendy Teen Fashion Blog, Shopping, Beauty, Music, and Girl Stuff!

David and Sean Goldman

photo

the story...

in 1999, David Goldman married a woman named Bruna Bianchi Carneiro Ribeiro. in 2000, they had a son named Sean. they lived as a family in New Jersey for 4 years and had what Mr. Goldman thought was a fairly normal, happy family. On June 16, 2004, David took his son, his wife, and her parents to the airport for a planned 2-week vacation to her family's home in Brazil. Bruna arrived in Brazil and called David that same day and suddenly informed him that the marriage was over, and she and their son Sean were not coming back to the United States.

what then took place for the next five years was a bitter international custody battle between Mr. Goldman, Bruna, her family, lawyers, and even superior court justices. for five years David's son was kept from him and he has had to fight countless legal battles, suffer repeated defeats, and all the while hold on to a hope somewhere inside that his son would eventually come home.

the story is a heart-breaking sequence of struggle after struggle. there is much more to this story, and we could never fully explain the details, so please visit Mr. Goldman's website for the full account, here.

despite the challenges Mr. Goldman faced, he never gave up, and as of Christmas Eve 2009, the courts ruled in David's favor and returned custody of Sean back to him. Sean is now back in the United States and living with his father.

why this story affected us

a dedicated father...

it's kind of similar to why we're so inspired by 'The Good Men Project'. to us, David Goldman has fought hard to be a 'good man'. we hear time and time again about children without fathers, fathers who abuse their kids, and fathers who adandon their families. here is a story of a father who loves his son more than life itself. a father who wanted nothing more than to have his son in his life. a father who gave up everything, and made gaining custody of his son the reason he exists. we're completely touched by his dedication and determination, and his genuine love for his child. when there are fathers abusing, or leaving their children everyday, here is a man fighting with everything he has just to be with his kid. it gives us faith in the meaning of the word 'father'.

David Goldman video...

Goldman Holiday Homecoming