Reproduced with the kind permission of AssistNews.net

Ronald Reagan’s Adopted Son Talks About The Great Communicator

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

October 2008

The last time Michael Reagan, adopted son of the late President Ronald Reagan, spoke at the Media Fellowship International (MFI) Media Breakfast three years ago, he talked about his relationship with America's 40th President.

Reagan mentioned the fact that he'd been molested as a boy, and also talked about the difficult relationship he had with Ronald Reagan.

At this year's MFI event in Beverly Hills, Dan Wooding of SafeWorlds IPTV asked Reagan if in the end the relationship with The Great Communicator ever got resolved?

Reagan responded: "Well, I think in the end, yes. I gave the eulogy for my father in 2004 and you know I think the relationship really was good at the end. I wish it'd been a great relationship through all the years, but you know there's a lot of reasons why it wasn't. Hollywood being part of it.

"You know, to attain the stature that you attain in Hollywood sometimes other things seem to suffer, and a lot of times it's the families. Dad did as much with the family as he could. I was going through problems, (but) I was not burdening him with my problems. So much of it had to do with me, not really with him."

Wooding commented: "That was a very moving talk you gave. You talked about a lot of the problems you'd had in the past. Why did you come back today? "

"Bob Rieth (of Media fellowship International) has been a friend of mine for years and Tim Kelly, who's on the board of directors and who runs my organizations for me, is also a friend of mine. I came back (because) I had breakfast with Bob the other day and my wife Colleen said 'you're going to that breakfast Saturday morning.' I said 'really?' She said yes, you are, you are going to support Bob this Saturday morning. So I said 'ok I'll support Bob this Saturday morning'. So that's what I'm doing. I love supporting Bob: he's such a great man and has been a friend for years and has prayed for my family numerous times, and I thought it was my turn to return it."

Wooding wanted to know if Reagan has much to do with Nancy Reagan these days?

"To be honest with you, I don't stay in touch and she doesn't stay in touch, and I think that's probably more normal than abnormal about step-children. Jane Wyman was my mother, we lost her a year ago September 10 and so that was my mom. That was the side of the family I was from. Patty and Ron were Nancy's, so really after my Father died it's really been a thing where we haven't been getting together. I pray for them, I hope they pray for me."

Regan has had quite a turbulent life, what role has faith played in it?

"Oh, without faith there really wouldn't be a life. My faith probably was instilled in me through wife Colleen, which I talked about when I was here a few years ago, that a Christian woman came into my life. Had a Christian woman not come into my life, you and I wouldn't be standing here. I would probably be in a grave somewhere."

With the world in such an absolute mess, what would be his message to the people of America? Is there a message that he would like to give relating to Christ?

"Look up, don't look down. I mean look up; we've all been through this before, it's going to happen again at some point in time. But God is one thing that is steady where we're in an unsteady world. He's the one person who is steady, and that's where we need to keep our eyes."

ANS would like to thank Robin Frost for transcribing this interview.

Dan Wooding is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS). He was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. Wooding is the author of some 42 books, the latest of which is his autobiography, "From Tabloid to Truth", which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, go to www.fromtabloidtotruth.com. danjuma1@aol.com.