“Gossip Girl” Star’s Petition To Return Children To Her Reaches Signature Goal

Actress Kelly Rutherford’s petition to bring her children back to the U.S hit over 100,00 signatures Tuesday, after being promoted by other celebrities.

Rutherford, who began the petition on We the People, is caught in a six-year custody battle with former husband, Daniel Giersch, over their two children.

The petition, launched at the end of April, needed at least 100,000 signatures before May 28 to gain consideration from the White House.

On Tuesday morning, with the petition at 85,000 signatures, “Gossip Girl” co-star Ed Westwick tweeted out to his 731,000 followers to help Rutherford and sign, tweeting “You (yes,you) have the power to help her get her kids back”.

This is my friend @KellyRutherford. You (yes,you) have the power to help her get her kids back http://t.co/i32URXDhDF pic.twitter.com/AuqnIfruin

— Ed Westwick (@EdWestwick) May 12, 2015

Kim Kardashian also tweeted, urging people to sign the petition and giving her support to Rutherford, saying, “I know I don’t know you @KellyRutherford but as a mom I feel your pain and I wish you the best of luck! I hope you see your babies soon!”

I usually don't get involved in other people's lives especially if I don't know them but this story I've been following &as a mom touched me

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) May 12, 2015

Other celebrities who promoted the petition included Chase Crawford, Matthew Settle, Marcia Cross and Selma Blair.

Rutherford later reached out, thanking everyone who helped her.

“I felt alone for a long time and I don’t feel alone anymore. I feel like this is something that I plan to pay forward for the rest of my life in terms of helping other children once I get my kids home,” Rutherford told Confident@l.

Rutherford’s children, eight-year-old son Hermes and five-year-old daughter Helena, have been living in France with Giersch since 2012, after a California judge ruled that the children must live with their father. Giersch is unable to enter the U.S due to a revoked work visa and therefore, would be unable to visit his children should they live with Rutherford. Rutherford has been flying out to meet them since the decision.

Rutherford, 46, filed for divorce from Giersch in late 2008, before the birth of their second child and has recently filed for bankruptcy after the costs of the divorce and visiting her kids took a toll.