In an Early Show interview with Maggie Rodriguez, Angela Suleman, mother of octuplet mom Nadya Suleman, revealed a change of heart. “I was actually very upset that my daughter had gone and done this in-vitro, but, after I saw them, you know, I thought, ‘My goodness, these are my grandchildren. They’re so tiny and fragile. I’ll have to be there for them, you know, like I was for the others.'”
After decrying her daughter’s choice to have 14 children by in-vitro, and originally declaring that when Nadya came home she wouldn’t be there, Angela Suleman, after seeing the babies, has now made a one-eighty and is going to help and support her daughter.
Angela Suleman says that, before the birth of the octuplets, her entire retirement check went toward supporting Nadya and her six older children. She says that six children in a three-bedroom house is crowded and that once the octuplets come home, she plans to help her daughter get a house.
Admitting she was overwhelmed by caring for the six older children, she says now that her resentment towards her daughter is fading. Claiming that watching Nadya trying so hard to take care of her children and seeing what a good mother she is has changed her tune. “She’s a very good mother,” Angela laughed, “but then, she had a good example!” (Oh, really? Can you say “enabler?”)
Angela Suleman has put her life on hold to take care of Nadya and her children, and has gone through financial ruin. Nadya didn’t tell her mother about the octuplet pregnancy until after she started to show, because “…she knew I didn’t want her to do it.”
This turnaround is a far cry from the feelings she originally aired toward her daughter, who put a gag order on her mother after Angela accepted $40,000 for a videotaped interview on RadarOnline.
Angela previously called her daughter’s choices “unconscionable.” She also contradicted her daughter’s claim that the same doctor performed all of her in-vitros, saying that Nadya changed doctors after she and her husband begged the doctor not to treat her anymore after the twins were born. She also contradicted Nadya’s claim that the sperm donor was “just a friend.” Angela revealed that David Solomon was actually her daughter’s boyfriend. She told RadarOnline that she was “emotionally, financially and physically drained” from looking after the other six grandchildren, and that Nadya gave her no rent or food money. She qualified her remarks, however, with assurances that she loved her grandchildren and will continue to take care of them.
Previously calling her daughter irresponsible, at that time she said Nadya had no consideration for her mother’s financial situation. Angela Suleman, divorced from her husband, filed for bankruptcy in 2008, but it was dismissed after she failed to appear at the hearing.
On January 30th, the grandfather said that the media “may have a tougher time finding the family after the babies are released from the hospital. “We have a huge house, not here,” said the man, who would only identify himself as Ed. “You are never going to know where it is.”
One must wonder how much of this turn around is due to the money Nadya is likely to get from media deals, and of course, the inevitable TV mini-series!
Sources:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/16/earlyshow/health/main4804448.shtml?source=search_story
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/octuplet-grandma-in-us-blasts-daughter_100153163.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/13/octuplet-mom-updates-chur_n_166737.html
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Mom-of-Octuplets-Lives-with-Parents-Has-6-Other-Kids.html
