Rory Feek revealed that he recently made an attempt to visit his eldest daughters Heidi and Hopie amid their ongoing family dispute over his parenting of their 10-year-old sister Indiana.
Earlier this month, Heidi, 37, and Hopie, 35, decided to take legal action against the 59-year-old country singer after expressing their concerns that Feek was putting Indiana in “harm’s way” and stating that their father was preventing them from communicating with their younger sibling.
In a blog post titled “canceled” that he shared on Tuesday, Feek addressed the conflict, writing that their family “isn’t perfect” and their struggles “aren’t something that just happened this summer.”
“We’ve always been a work-in-progress, and I feel fairly certain we always will be,” he admitted. “There are things that my older daughters and I need to work out together. Right now we’re at an impasse on how that’s ever going to happen.”
RORY FEEK STILL BELIEVES GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EVERYTHING
Rory Feek said he tried to visit his daughters amid their family dispute. (Heidi Feek Instagram | Getty)
Feek explained that he drove to Alabama, where Heidi and Hopie live, a week and half ago so he could see his daughters and try to settle their differences.
The Kansas native wrote that he “knocked on Heidi’s door with two bouquets of peace lilly flowers, and hopes that we might be able to sit down and talk, or better yet, I’d just sit and listen to whatever they wanted to say and maybe have the chance to give them a hug and at least try to show them how much I love them.”
“But, even though their cars were in the driveway and they were inside, no one answered,” Feek continued. “So I left the flowers on the doorstep and drove back home.”
Feek claimed that while he was driving back home, he received a text message from Heidi that allegedly read, “We are only willing to talk with you with a licensed therapist or attorney or both.”
“And that is where the impasse comes in,” he wrote. “They believe that it’s the job of a someone with a doctorate, law or master’s degree to repair what is broken in our family. And I believe that it’s our job. Our responsibility to put our differences aside, sit down together as adults and do everything in our power to fix what is broken and mend what needs repaired.”
Feek’s daughters Heidi and Hopie have expressed concerns about their 10-year-old sister Indiana’s well-being. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Lifetime)
“And I believe that it’s our job. Our responsibility to put our differences aside, sit down together as adults and do everything in our power to fix what is broken and mend what needs repaired.”
While speaking with People magazine, Heidi said she was away from home when Feek arrived but her husband Dillon and Hopie were at the house.
Dillon told People that Hopie started having a panic attack when they realized that it was Feek’s truck in the driveway.
The two made calls to Heidi and their lawyer, which they said lasted about four minutes. Afterward, Dillon answered the door but said Feek had already driven off to return to his home two hours away.
“Regardless of the intention, it came off as intimidating,” Heidi told People of Feek’s unexpected visit.
Heidi said Feek’s unexpected visit “came off as intimidating.” (roryfeek.com)
She continued, “We’ve set really clear boundaries. We have such a hard time communicating with him and feeling heard that we really don’t feel like it’s possible without a third party.”
“[Visiting] was never for us, because if he was trying to reach us, he would do it in the way that we’ve requested of him, or at least text us and say, ‘Hey, I’m coming.'” Heidi added.
Heidi told People that she had filed legal documents against Feek earlier in September and said he was served with the papers the day after his trip to Alabama.
She also shared a statement to her Instagram story on Wednesday that read, “Whether it’s unexpected visitors coming on our property, members of your ‘organization’ threatening us, or online harassment from your followers, know this: we will not be intimidated. We will continue to fight for Indiana and her safety.”
On Aug. 29, Heidi posted about a Taste of Country article where she and her sister Hopie were asked “about growing up in our father’s care.” In her Instagram post, she claimed, “Rory often left Hopie with people who took advantage of us.”
Rory Feek performs onstage during the National Finals Rodeo’s Cowboy Christmas at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Dec. 13, 2018. (Getty Images)
She also alleged, “Recently Indy was left in the care of a group with a well documented history of physical and sexual abuse of children. Indiana, who has special needs, deserves to be in a safe and stable environment where her well-being is the top priority.”
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On Aug. 31, Feek shared a blog post in which he addressed accusations that Indiana was left with members of an alleged “cult” when he and his third wife Rebecca went on their honeymoon.
The singer married Rebecca on July 14 in Greycliff, Montana, according to a previous blog post. The wedding took place eight years after he lost his wife Joey to cervical cancer.
“Now, if you’re asking if Homestead Heritage or Greycliff is a cult, the answer is no,” the singer wrote in his blog post. “Those folks are just living in a way that other people don’t like or understand, and it’s a whole lot easier to call something a cult and dismiss it than it is to look deeper into and actually find out what it is they are doing and why they’re doing it.”
Rory Feek said he and his daughters have a “responsibility” to put their differences aside. (Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)
Feek wrote that while he and Rebecca were on their honeymoon, Indiana “stayed with two families, both of who have little ones that Indy is very close to.”
When addressing the allegations he left her “with child molesters,” Feek wrote, “I am not a perfect father, but I’m also not an idiot.”
The songwriter also responded to claims Indiana is not allowed to speak with or see her sisters. Feek wrote that Heidi and Hopie had previously been allowed to speak to Indiana. However, he wrote that “when Child Protective Services called me out of nowhere, saying that it had been reported that Indiana was being neglected, along with other accusations, Heidi and Hopie forfeited their right to speak to their little sister.”
Feek also noted in his blog post that “this is not how it should be done. Instagram and Facebook are not the places where we should, as people and families, be settling our disputes or differences.”
On Sept. 1, Heidi shared multiple posts on her Instagram account commenting on portions of her dad’s blog post.
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Rory Feek’s first wife, Joey, died in 2016 after battling cancer. (Fred Hayes/Getty Images)
The first post began, “Hi, dad. This is Heidi and Hopie. As sad as it is to say, we’re just happy to hear from you.”
The following slide noted that they agreed the internet “isn’t the place to settle this,” adding that they’d been reaching out to Feek, but had not received a response. The next slide was alleged texts that were sent to their dad.
“Love is action, not words. We forgive you for your unkind words. You called us cowardly in your blog post for not facing you. We forgive you. The last time we sat down to have this conversation, without a mediator as you requested, you told us you were done being our father. We forgive you.”
The final slide had a photo of Heidi and Hopie and read, “We have found peace in our own lives and have taken the long journey of healing. We have come out stronger on the other side of our childhoods.”
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In a separate post, Heidi expressed her concerns about Homestead Heritage. Feek and Rebecca have been involved with the group, which describes itself as an “agrarian and craft-based intentional Christian community.”
Heidi claimed that she had been contacted by other people who shared her concerns about Indiana’s well-being in the care of Feek.
“Some of the people speaking up grew up at Homestead Heritage,” she wrote. “You called the *numerous* convicted pedophiles within Homestead ‘a few bad apples,’ but the saying goes ‘a few bad apples spoil the barrel.’”
Rory’s youngest daughter, Indiana, poses for a photo with his new wife, Rebecca. (roryfeek.com)
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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Homestead Heritage spokesperson Dan Lancaster wrote, “Over a decade ago, our church pastors reported four individuals to local authorities for sexual assault, and all were rightly convicted and sent to prison.”
“Only one of these was a member of our church when the crime was committed,” he added. “Unfortunately, one of our parishioner’s estranged daughters is trying to rewrite history to gain leverage in a family custodial dispute that has nothing to do with our church.”
While speaking with People, Heidi said, “I really just want to be able to be in my little sister’s life and I can’t.”
Heidi Feek said she wants to be in Indiana’s life. (Heidi Feek Instagram)
“I’m trying to do the right thing,” she added.
In his blog post, Feek wrote that Indiana is “doing super well.” He said his youngest child has started fifth grade, and she is being homeschooled by Rebecca.
“She’s everything but, neglected,” he wrote. “I have never, nor will I ever, allow her to be in an unsafe situation. Indy’s surrounded by love and people who love her.”
Fox News Digital’s Cassie Maynard contributed to this report.
