Ryan O'Neal Was Desperate to See Troubled Son Redmond Before Death at 82, Actor Didn't Believe He Had 'Much Time Left'
Film star Ryan O'Neal was determined to reconnect with his incarcerated son, Redmond, before his death at 82 and fulfill the promise he made to longtime love Farrah Fawcett to take care of the only child they shared.
RadarOnline.com first reported in February that O'Neal felt his days were numbered.
Sources said the ailing Paper Moon actor was desperate to see his troubled son and hug the 38-year-old. He allegedly wanted to tell Redmond how sorry he was that he couldn't keep his promise.
Ryan notably had a troubled relationship with the Charlie's Angels icon and his children.
"I'm a hopeless father. I don't know why," the Peyton Place star, a dad of four, told Vanity Fair in the past. "I don't think I was supposed to be a father. Just look around at my work — they're either in jail or they should be. I have nice grandchildren, though."
It was claimed that Ryan beat himself up over how Redmond's life had unraveled over the years, an insider said.
"Ryan has made a lot of mistakes in his life, but his greatest sorrow is not being able to honor his vow to Farrah," added the tipster. The two were in a high-profile relationship from 1979 to 1997 but never tied the knot.
Redmond was behind bars when his mother died from cancer in 2009, and more recently, he has been holed up in a mental hospital after being declared unfit to stand trial on numerous criminal offenses, including armed robbery and attempted murder.
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"Redmond suffers from bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and antisocial personality disorder, and in his mind, his father is the devil," an insider with knowledge of their strained family dynamic alleged, claiming Redmond had no interest in seeing his father.
The Love Story actor died on December 8 and is survived by four children and five grandchildren.
His cause of death is unclear but the 1970s heartthrob dealt with several health issues over the years, including being diagnosed with leukemia in 2001.
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"So this is the toughest thing I've ever had to say but here we go," his son Patrick announced via social media Friday. "My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us."