Follow-up, post-event story from The Coast Star...
David Goldman shares story of son’s abduction in Brazil“I will continue to do whatever I can, and I will try to be the loud voice to make change for the better.”
DAVID GOLDMAN Author
By Maryrose Mullen
January 19, 2012
BRADLEY BEACH — Ask any parent the lengths they will go for their child, and they will say they would go to the ends of the earth and back.
David Goldman proved just that.
The Friends of the Public Library hosted author Mr. Goldman to speak about his book, “A Father’s Love”, which chronicles his international custody battle for his son, Sean, at Bradley Beach Elementary School on Friday night.
In June 2004, Mr. Goldman dropped off his wife, son, then 4, and wife’s parents at Newark Liberty International Airport for a two-week trip to his wife’s native Brazil. He had no way of knowing that moment would be the last time he would see his son for almost five years.
Upon her arrival, Mr. Goldman’s wife, the late Bruna Bianchi, called Mr. Goldman to inform him she was filing for a divorce, and Sean would remain with her in Brazil. After her death in 2008, her surviving family, including her new husband Joao Paulo Lins e Silva, fought to keep Sean within their care.
Mr. Silva failed to inform the government of her death and requested a new birth certificate for Sean that listed himself as the father.
Based on a Brazilian Supreme Court decision in 2009, Sean was reunited with his father that Christmas Eve.
The event Friday brought out between 50 and 75 community members who were interested in learning more about Mr. Goldman’s story. At the event, Mr. Goldman spoke in depth about his experience, showing a 15 minute film about the ordeal and answering audience questions. Mr. Goldman said he was “happy to come in” and spread awareness on child abduction in his native area.
“Being from Monmouth County, I’m glad to do whatever I can to help,” Mr. Goldman, who lives in Tinton Falls, said. “I want to get the word out. There are still a lot of children being held in foreign countries, and a lot of parents suffering the nightmare of being without their kids.”
Mr. Goldman also spoke about the Bring Sean Home Foundation, a nonprofit, all-volunteer-run organization that offers assistance to the thousands of American parents whose children have been taken out of the county illegally.
“We’re currently setting up funds for families if they have to get on a plane and go to court,” he said. “This process is emotionally, physically and financially exhausting. Often it’s hard for people to press on. If we can do stuff for them to make it less burdensome, we will.”
Bradley Beach Library Director Janet Torsney said she was “grateful” to have Mr. Goldman as a speaker, and said he did an “excellent job.”
“His book is about his unrelenting efforts to get his son back, and that required extra effort and discipline,” she said.
Ms. Torsney was thankful to Bradley Beach Elementary School for allowing the event to be held within the auditorium, and hopes the Friends of the Public Library will be able to put on events of this type in the future.
“[This event] was such a great combination of the speaker and celebrating the library, and I’m grateful for all of them,” she said.
Councilman Harold Cotler was among the audience members, and said he attended because he was “compelled” by Mr. Goldman’s story after reading about it in the press.
“[I was] amazed by his fortitude and strength, and by the fact that he was able to persevere,” he said. “From his story, I think people can get that sometimes if it looks dark, if you work hard you can accomplish your goal as long as you don’t lose sight of it.”
He added that he found the Bring Sean Home Foundation “a worthy cause” to contribute to.
Mr. Goldman’s battle with the Brazilian court system was well-publicized in the United States, with his story appearing on Dateline, The Today Show and featured in a number of national publications. Mr. Goldman pointed out that media attention for a case of his type, however, is rare, and he feels obligated to aid parents in similar situations any way he can.
“I was so fortunate to have help from media all the way up to the president, but we have to keep doing whatever we can,” he said. “I will continue to do whatever I can, and I will try to be the loud voice to make change for the better.”
One point Mr. Goldman said he always addresses in his talks is how psychologically damaged a child can become from the alienation from another parent, going as far as to call it “abuse.”
Despite losing four and one-half years with his son, Mr. Goldman described their relationship today as “excellent.” He considers himself fortunate to share new experiences with Sean, and to be able to provide him with a normal, happy childhood.
“Children want to be children,” he said. “They don’t want the pressure to choose and have terrible things told to them about their parents. My job is to hope he’ll grow up and remember his childhood with more fondness than sadness.”
To learn more about the Bring Sean Home Foundation, visit bringseanhome.org. More information about upcoming Bradley Beach Public Library events can be found at bradleybeachlibrary.org.
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