Dennis Rodman Meets Estranged Father Who Has 29 Kids With 16 Women
NBA star Dennis Rodman has finally had a reunion with his estranged father who he hasn't seen in 42 years. The two met after an exhibition game in the Philippines, and Philander Rodman, Dennis' father, described the meeting as "great."
"I've been trying to meet him for years," Philander told the Associated Press. "And then last night, boom, I met him. I was really, really happy and very surprised. I really, really felt good. It's the beginning of something new."
The two had been apart for 42 years, after Dennis' father left the family. It was hard on Dennis, who was only five-years-old at the time, and he struggled to accept the man who has since fathered 29 children with 16 other women. Their reunion was short but sweet for both men.
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"We met three minutes. I saw him, but he was busy signing autographs," Philander told the AP. "He asked me if I have a website where he could talk to me. I said none and just gave him my cellphone number."
Philander is the owner of the Rodman's Rainbow Obamaburger restaurant in Los Angeles, which features very colorful burgers and fries. He may have drawn on his son for inspiration, given that Dennis was known for his outlandish hair colors throughout his NBA career.
Rodman has himself had problems being a stable figure in his children's lives. He recently settled a child support case for $808,935, which was due to his former wife, Michelle. The couple has three children together, and Rodman fell very far behind in his payments.
He told the court: "[I am] broke and cannot afford any additional fees," but the judge forced him to serve 20 days in jail and perform 104 hours of community service.
As for his own father, Dennis told the AP, "I don't hate the guy that brought me into this world. The fact is, if I saw him, I'd just tell him, 'You know, you're a friend of mine.'"
