(The Root) — Over the weekend, I stumbled onto a Facebook post about the most recent antics of Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, the ex-wife of Miami Heat megastar Dwyane Wade. It seems that she, along with her mother and sister, planted themselves on the sidewalk outside of the circuit court in downtown Chicago last Friday and declared that the former Mrs. Wade was homeless, despite her freshly done hair, nails and impeccably clean yellow track suit. "NBA Miami Heat star, mother of his children on the streets," read her sign.
The melodramatic street protest, which has led to questions about Funches-Wade's mental health, comes after yet another round in the courtroom where Funches-Wade, who has filed several lawsuits against her ex-husband, tried to fire her 12th attorney and was arrested for showing up late to court.
"Dwyane Wade is offering to pay only some of what he owes me if I sign an agreement never again to discuss what happened in our marriage or with our children. I refuse," Funches-Wade told the Chicago Sun Times. "I finally told [the presiding judge] I just wanted to end the case and keep my freedom and my voice."
Funches-Wade added that she has not seen her children in weeks because of pressure from Wade, and has heard threats that if she does not keep silent, she will "never see her children ever again."
Wade's response? An Instagram photo of himself giving a blank stare. The caption read, "#REALLY #whatyoutalkingaboutwillis #aintnobodygottimeforthat”.
Many women have been sympathetic toward Funches-Wade, despite the lawsuits against her ex and all the accusations and antics she's kept up as a way to get back at him for leaving her and maybe gain some public sympathy, too. Whether or not her ex-husband began a relationship with his current girlfriend, actress Gabrielle Union, during the Wade-Funches marriage — they have denied doing so — a lot of women have understood how it had to stick right in Funches-Wade's craw to see the man she had been with since she was a teenager transform from a regular local boy with promise to a man with that promise fulfilled beyond her wildest dreams. And then she was no longer by his side to love him or reap the benefits of her sacrifices. (In 2008 Wade filed for divorce. The divorce was finalized in 2010.)
Not only did her ex move on, but he went and got a Hollywood actress, and to make it worse, she lost custody of her children, and he's raising them with the new woman. On top of that, Wade and his new boo cuddle on the pages of Essence and he publicly calls her his "black queen."
It's enough to make any woman holler and go a little out her mind with overzealous lawsuits. In 2009 Funches-Wade filed a lawsuit alleging Wade had infected her with a sexually transmitted disease, a claim she later withdrew. In 2010 she sued Union for breaking up her marriage, a suit that was thrown out. A lot of women even understood when Funches-Wade did not want to return the children to their father after he gained sole custody of them. In 2012 Funches-Wade was arrested for child abduction after she refused to allow the children to return to their father after a scheduled visit.
No one condoned any of Funches-Wade's foolishness, but a lot of women understood how a woman could be hurt enough to go a little nuts. But going into the street and crying homeless and broke to agitate your ex and/or gain public sympathy?
The line has to be drawn somewhere, and this is it. Wade's ex is alleging that she's homeless — despite the $25,000 that Wade pays her in alimony each month and an additional $10,000 in traveling and living expenses.
Again, I feel terrible for what happened to her, both with her marriage and the loss of custody of her children, but it's time for Funches-Wade to make peace with her divorce — it's been five years since her husband filed for separation — and act like a responsible adult if she ever wants to be trusted to care for her kids.
Funches-Wade's most recent behavior points to either seriously bad judgment or being in need of treatment for mental illness. Neither bodes well for her if she has hope of ever getting custody of her children someday or keeping any public sympathy.
Demetria L. Lucas is a contributing editor at The Root, a life coach and the author of A Belle in Brooklyn: The Go-to Girl for Advice on Living Your Best Single Life. Follow her on Twitter.
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