Felicity Huffman and Her Family Are 'Leaning on Each Other' as They Heal After College Scandal
Felicity Huffman and her husband William H. Macy are taking small steps towards rebuilding their family after the college admissions scandal rocked their foundation.
The longtime couple, who wed in 1997 and welcomed Sophia, 19, in 2000 and Georgia, 17, in 2002, are prioritizing family time as they continue to weather the controversy. Huffman, 56, and Georgia have also kept up their volunteer work at the Teen Project, a local rehab center for girls who have lived on the streets and who are trying to earn their GEDs, where they’ve been tutoring for almost two years.
“They are talking a lot and spending lots of time together,” a source tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story, on stands Friday. “They’re going for walks, playing board games and having family dinners. They are a solid group and they are leaning on each other for support.”
RELATED: Felicity Huffman Sentenced to 14 Days Behind Bars in College Admissions Scam
The tight-knit family’s quiet life “exploded” when six FBI agents entered their home in the early hours of March 12 and arrested Huffman, Macy wrote in a letter to the judge. Huffman later pleaded guilty for paying $15,000 to facilitate cheating on Sophia’s SAT test by having a proctor correct the teen’s answers.
The Desperate Housewives actress and Oscar nominee has since been sentenced to 14 days in federal prison, plus a $30,000 fine, 250 hours of community service and a year of supervised release.
“The family has gone through some rough patches but they’re fighting through them as best they can. They know it will take some time,” the source adds.
For more about Huffman, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on stands Friday.
After receiving her sentence, a source close to Huffman’s team told PEOPLE she felt “humbled.”
“The sentence Felicity received is not about a victory or a defeat. She is not disappointed or relieved about the outcome. She is contrite and humbled and accepts the outcome,” said the source adding, “She is resigned to the fact that she has to serve her sentence and pay her dues to society.”
And as she looks to the future, Huffman says she promises to do whatever it takes to repair her relationship with her family.
“I can promise you that in the months and years to come that I will try and live a more honest life, serve as a better role model for my daughters and family and continue to contribute my time and energies wherever I am needed,” Huffman said in court. “My hope now is that my family, my friends and my community will forgive me for my actions.”
