Maria Shriver has asked for compassion and privacy just hours after it was revealed that her husband of 25 years, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, had fathered a child with a member of their household staff.
"This is a painful and heartbreaking time," Shriver said in a statement to the media. "As a mother, my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal. I will have no further comment."
They have four children, ranging in age from 13 to 21. One of them, 17-year-old Patrick, took to Twitter today to say he "feels like s**t" but loves his family.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver celebrate his victory in the California gubernatorial recall election on Oct. 7, 2003. More Pics >>
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Arnold and Maria
Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's home entrance is shown outside a gated community Tuesday May 17, 2011 in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles. Schwarzenegger acknowledged Tuesday that he fathered a child with a member of his household staff, a revelation that apparently prompted wife Maria Shriver to leave the couple's home before they announced their separation. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
FILE - This file photo taken Oct. 7, 2003, shows former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, as they celebrate his victory in the California gubernatorial recall election in Los Angeles. Schwarzenegger has acknowledged that he fathered a child with a member of his household staff, a revelation that apparently prompted wife Maria Shriver to leave the couple's home before they announced their separation last week. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
FILE - In this file photo taken Friday, Jan. 5, 2007, Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger kisses his wife, Maria Shriver, after taking his oath of office in Sacramento, Calif. Schwarzenegger has acknowledged that he fathered a child with a member of his household staff, a revelation that apparently prompted wife Maria Shriver to leave the couple's home before they announced their separation last week. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
(FILES)California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks to reporters after members of the National Governors Association met with US President Barack Obama February 22, 2010 at the White House in Washington, DC. Movie megastar and former US governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday his wife Maria Shriver separated from him after he admitted to fathering a child with a member of the household staff. "After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," Schwarzenegger, 63, said in the statement to the Los Angeles Times."I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
(FILES)California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger makes the announcement that sufficient money had been raised to purchase and protect the land around the historic Hollywood sign in Hollywood on April 26, 2010. Movie megastar and former US governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said May 17, 2011 his wife Maria Shriver separated from him after he admitted to fathering a child with a member of the household staff. "After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," Schwarzenegger, 63, said in the statement to the Los Angeles Times. "I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
(FILES) In this filed photo dated October 2, 2009 shows former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver during a photo call at the Governors' Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles. Movie megastar and former US governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday his wife Maria Shriver separated from him after he admitted to fathering a child with a member of the household staff. "After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," Schwarzenegger, 63, said in the statement to the Los Angeles Times. "I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON / FILES (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
In a May 10, 2011 photo Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks at the Israel 63rd Independence Day Celebration hosted by the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles. Schwarzenegger has acknowledged that he fathered a child with a member of his household staff, (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
In a May 10, 2011 photo Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks at the Israel 63rd Independence Day Celebration hosted by the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles. Schwarzenegger has acknowledged that he fathered a child with a member of his household staff, (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks at the Israel 63rd Independence Day Celebration hosted by the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, Tuesday, May 10, 2011. Schwarzenegger was honored at the event. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 10: (FILE PHOTO) Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger accepts an award at Skirball Cultural Center on May 10, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times that he fathered a child with a member of his household staff. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images For The Consulate General of Israel)
The former California governor had similar sentiment in comments to the Los Angeles Times earlier Tuesday. "I ask that the media respect my wife and children through this extremely difficult time. While I deserve your attention and criticism, my family does not."
Shriver reportedly moved out of the couple's house earlier this year after Schwarzenegger revealed to her that he was the father of a staff member's child.
"After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," Schwarzenegger said Monday in a statement. "I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry."
The woman with whom Schwarzenegger had the affair reportedly worked in the family's home for the past 20 years, and retired this past January. Though her name has not been released, she told the Times that she left voluntarily and received severance pay.
"I wanted to achieve my 20 years, then I asked to retire," she said, adding that she "left on good terms with them."
Schwarzenegger and Shriver announced their seemingly shocking separation just last week.
Puhleese! Take him for all he has? She laid up in that house and didn't know her man was cheating all of this time? He was cheating before he even had that child with the household help! She is from the most family in America and she should just leave while she is still young. Don't end up like Joan Kennedy who was found bombed and lying out on the street in Boston!
Anyway are there any faithful men in America any more? My former Governor Elliot Spitzer of New York and the prostitute scandal, Tiger Woods and his call girls, Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, the former governer of South Carolina and his mistress, Reverend Al Sharpton, Reverend Jesse Jackson and his mistress and their love child, Jesse Jackson Jr. and his girlfriend, John Edwards and his mistress and love child, Donald Trump and cheated on Ivana, Newt Gingrich cheated on his wife and informed her he wanted a divorce while she lay in a hospital bed fighting cancer......does it ever end??
Who knew! It only takes working 20 years to retire...damn coulda had an out of wedlock child and suffered 20 years cleaning Arnold's laundry and wiping his kids runny noses...unbelieveable what "she" must have suffered...all the while, her own husband never knowing about it. Damn...it pays to be an uneducated servant in the ol' US of A... and why is the legitimate wife the last to know?!?
WHOS TO SAY THAT SHE DID NOT FOOL AROUND ALSO ? GRANTED MARIA SHIVER IS NO BEAUTY QUEEN AND I AM BEING KIND HERE BUT MAYBE IF SHE GOT THE GARDNER DRUNK ENOUGH HE MIGHT HAVE DONE HER ? JUST SAYING.
All though I do not condone Unfaithful behavior,because his man is a well known man does not mean that he is the only one who has ever done such things,for example there are plenty of hollywood who have, and plenty of not so well known people who have done so,for example my own father did the same exact thing, when people have been together for a long peroid of time like they have, I think that forgiveness should be expressed and go on with your life, after saying "sorry" and meaning it, what else can he do??? The damage was already done,and carried out years before hand,get over your pride and keep your family together,after all,your own brothers were not above the same kind of behavior,I guess the whole thing boils down to the question;"Do you still "Love your Husband"???
You forget that he's a Rhino. (voted in line with Democrats > 50% of the time and he's pro-choice, pro-gayrights) That makes him a Democrat who registered as a republican, really his values are right in sync with John Edwards', Bill Clinton, Elliott Spitzer, etc. So there's not really hypocrasy, a hypocrit tells you to live your life one way and then themselves lives another. I don't think anyone honestly believed he was pure Republican, or capable of fidelity, after all he's a retired actor!
a poster on the huffington post said maria admitted to an affair several years ago.
and while I don't remember ever hearing or reading that, and there has been nothing substantiated, are you willing to criticize the democratic party and her family--uncle Ted, numerous cousins, the JFK rumors the way you lumped all of us faithful people of the opposite party of your affiliation?
Democrats are not the ones out there making all these moral judgements all the time. therefore it is much more of a big deal when these so called family values candidates do the exact same thing they criticiae others for doing. Its called hypocrisy.
And John Edwards lied thru his teeth about his illegitimate child and was paying off the chick to keep her mouth shut... and, wait for it, wait for it... was running for president. Oops... wait for it again... wait for it... all while Edwards wife was dying of cancer. Just love those liberal values! At least Arnold approached his wife and told her rather than lie when busted with the truth.
The reason why posters talk about Repuglicans is that THEY are the party that is constantly talking about FAMILY VALUES and TRADITION and looking down on anyone who is not heterosexual and married. It's especially galling each time one of these hypocrites is caught. The Dems never look down on people the way the Repuglicans do.
Don't forget Teddy Kennedy! He screwed around on his wife for years. Of course, he and Arnold were very tight. There are lots of stories about Ted the Democrat!
To all the people mocking Edwards and Clinton lets not forget the KING OF HYPOCRITES NEWT GINGRICH!!!! While he was trying to take down Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal he was cheating on his wife and shacking up with someone else. I love Conseratives they always look the other way when it's one of thier own but mock everyone else.
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you know so little about the entire situation,yet you maake such a profound statement.Typical female reaction
Puhleese! Take him for all he has? She laid up in that house and didn't know her man was cheating all of this time? He was cheating before he even had that child with the household help! She is from the most family in America and she should just leave while she is still young. Don't end up like Joan Kennedy who was found bombed and lying out on the street in Boston!
Anyway are there any faithful men in America any more? My former Governor Elliot Spitzer of New York and the prostitute scandal, Tiger Woods and his call girls, Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, the former governer of South Carolina and his mistress, Reverend Al Sharpton, Reverend Jesse Jackson and his mistress and their love child, Jesse Jackson Jr. and his girlfriend, John Edwards and his mistress and love child, Donald Trump and cheated on Ivana, Newt Gingrich cheated on his wife and informed her he wanted a divorce while she lay in a hospital bed fighting cancer......does it ever end??
Who knew! It only takes working 20 years to retire...damn coulda had an out of wedlock child and suffered 20 years cleaning Arnold's laundry and wiping his kids runny noses...unbelieveable what "she" must have suffered...all the while, her own husband never knowing about it. Damn...it pays to be an uneducated servant in the ol' US of A... and why is the legitimate wife the last to know?!?
WHOS TO SAY THAT SHE DID NOT FOOL AROUND ALSO ?
GRANTED MARIA SHIVER IS NO BEAUTY QUEEN AND I AM BEING KIND HERE BUT MAYBE IF SHE GOT THE GARDNER DRUNK ENOUGH HE MIGHT HAVE DONE HER ?
JUST SAYING.
The one honorable thing he did was admit it, he recognizes this child as his.
All though I do not condone Unfaithful behavior,because his man is a well known man does not mean that he is the only one who has ever done such things,for example there are plenty of hollywood who have, and plenty of not so well known people who have done so,for example my own father did the same exact thing, when people have been together for a long peroid of time like they have, I think that forgiveness should be expressed and go on with your life, after saying "sorry" and meaning it, what else can he do??? The damage was already done,and carried out years before hand,get over your pride and keep your family together,after all,your own brothers were not above the same kind of behavior,I guess the whole thing boils down to the question;"Do you still "Love your Husband"???
It was all Maria's fault for not satisfying her husband.
Another "family values" Republican reveals his underlying hypocrisy!
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you must have forgot about Edwards love child and Clintons cigars with Monica, cheating doesn't have any political affiliation duh!
um, you've heard of clinton right? why bring political preferences into it? a douche is a douche. dosen't matter his political party.
You forget that he's a Rhino. (voted in line with Democrats > 50% of the time and he's pro-choice, pro-gayrights) That makes him a Democrat who registered as a republican, really his values are right in sync with John Edwards', Bill Clinton, Elliott Spitzer, etc. So there's not really hypocrasy, a hypocrit tells you to live your life one way and then themselves lives another. I don't think anyone honestly believed he was pure Republican, or capable of fidelity, after all he's a retired actor!
a poster on the huffington post said maria admitted to an affair several years ago.
and while I don't remember ever hearing or reading that, and there has been nothing substantiated, are you willing to criticize the democratic party and her family--uncle Ted, numerous cousins, the JFK rumors the way you lumped all of us faithful people of the opposite party of your affiliation?
Democrats never do anything.. ask daddy Al Sharpton and daddy Rev.Jesse Jackson. They also could not keep it zipped!
Democrats are not the ones out there making all these moral judgements all the time. therefore it is much more of a big deal when these so called family values candidates do the exact same thing they criticiae others for doing. Its called hypocrisy.
We don't consider jim a republician he's way to Lib for us and Your precious Gavin Newsom did the same thing
And John Edwards lied thru his teeth about his illegitimate child and was paying off the chick to keep her mouth shut... and, wait for it, wait for it... was running for president. Oops... wait for it again... wait for it... all while Edwards wife was dying of cancer. Just love those liberal values! At least Arnold approached his wife and told her rather than lie when busted with the truth.
The reason why posters talk about Repuglicans is that THEY are the party that is constantly talking about FAMILY VALUES and TRADITION and looking down on anyone who is not heterosexual and married. It's especially galling each time one of these hypocrites is caught. The Dems never look down on people the way the Repuglicans do.
The Democrats don't run on the 'family values' platform. They may be crappy husbands but they aren't political hypocrites.
Don't forget Teddy Kennedy! He screwed around on his wife for years. Of course, he and Arnold were very tight. There are lots of stories about Ted the Democrat!
To all the people mocking Edwards and Clinton lets not forget the KING OF HYPOCRITES NEWT GINGRICH!!!! While he was trying to take down Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal he was cheating on his wife and shacking up with someone else. I love Conseratives they always look the other way when it's one of thier own but mock everyone else.