My Broken Heart, Our Shattered Dreams
The bad part of any divorce is what the children have to go through: My story really starts on September 18, 2006 my wife, Rindan, decided she was done living in America and would move to Turkey with our son. Her exact quote was, "You can cry yourself to sleep thinking about your son. I'm going." For several years I had tried for my son's sake to stay married; now this was the end. I had my son's passport and wouldn't surrender it so my wife called the police.
Rindan was furious when she was made aware of the fact that I didn't have to let my son leave the country. Immediately, she decided to move out of our home and so our divorce began. I remember one of the very sympathetic Maplewood, N.J. policemen telling me, "John, don't worry. I was a Marine stationed in Turkey, she'll never be able to keep your son there. He's an American citizen." Americans have to battle within the Hague treaty for abducted minors.
In the beginning of our separation I had to battle in NY courts to stop Rindan from being named sole guardian. I did this and won. I then began divorce proceedings in NJ. Rindan filled this with bitter, hateful allegations. As her allegations were proven false I went from eight visit days per month to being the primary guardian of our son, Khan.
As I fought this battle with Rindan through her nine temporary residences, my desire was for our son to have a stable home environment. My heart was broken each time I dropped him off and he cried out for me because he did not want me to leave.
I believed in our system of justice and put into action all abduction preventions. I won all custody rights. I won all court orders. I defended and rebutted all accusations. I became the left behind parent.
This appeal is not about our stormy marriage. It is about a court ruling for a child's well being that has been defied by a wrongful abduction of my American son!
Click here for an Update 03/08!
