Rory Feek's estranged daughters refuse to meet him as he lands at their home unannounced amid family feud

GREYCLIFF, MONTANA: Rory Feek is navigating turbulent family dynamics as he addresses ongoing disputes with his two older daughters, Heidi and Hopie, regarding the care of his youngest daughter, Indiana.

In a recent blog post titled “Canceled,” Rory, 59, shared the challenges he faced during a visit aimed at mending fences, revealing that his efforts were met with resistance.

Rory Feek faces family struggles amid ongoing dispute over daughter’s care

After driving to Alabama in hopes of reconciling, Rory found that his daughters were unwilling to engage without a mediator.

“(I had) 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,” he wrote.

Rory expressed his disappointment at being met with silence despite arriving unannounced, stating, “Even though their cars were in the driveway, no one answered.” Leaving bouquets of flowers on their doorstep, he later received a text from Heidi indicating that they would only communicate in the presence of a licensed therapist or attorney.

Earlier this month, Heidi confirmed that she and Hopie had taken legal action against Rory, accusing him of cutting them off from Indiana and putting her at risk.

In response, Rory noted that his family has always been a “work in progress” and stressed the need for direct communication without third-party intervention.

“That is where the impasse comes in. They believe that it’s the job of someone with a doctorate, legal or masters degree to repair what is broken in our family. And I believe that it’s our job,” Rory wrote.

Heidi told PEOPLE that she wasn’t home when Rory arrived, but her husband Dillon and sister Hopie were present. Dillon noted that when Hopie realized the unannounced truck in the driveway belonged to Rory, she started to have a panic attack.

After a quick call to both Heidi and their lawyer, which they estimate lasted about four minutes, Dillon went to answer the door, only to find that Rory had already left for the two-hour drive home.

Heidi described Rory’s visit as intimidating, emphasizing the need for clear boundaries and better communication.

“Regardless of the intention, it came off as intimidating. 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,” Heidi said.

“(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 also confirmed that she filed legal documents against her father earlier this month, and that Rory was served the day after he traveled to Alabama.

Rory claimed that he has lost events and writing opportunities due to the public fallout within the family, stating that “people began to distance themselves” from him.

“Unsure whether what they’ve heard or seen online might be true, and even if it’s not, they need to make sure they don’t personally get caught in any of the crossfire directed at me,” he wrote.

“All that said… I don't feel canceled. I feel the opposite of that. While all this has been taking place online, here at our farm in our actual physical lives, we’ve been having the greatest time settling into our new life as a married couple and family.”

Rory Feek's daughters voiced concerns in open letter amid family tensions

Heidi Feek recently expressed her deep frustrations with her father, Rory Feek, in an open letter shared with PEOPLE and posted on Instagram. In the heartfelt message, Heidi revealed that she and her sister, Hopie, had been attempting to reach out to Rory for months without receiving any response. She included screenshots of multiple unanswered text messages sent in July, all inquiring about their younger sister, Indiana.

Heidi conveyed the importance of having a therapist or attorney present during any discussions, referencing a past conversation where Rory had allegedly told them, “You were done being our father.”

In her letter, she emphasized, “We forgive you,” and expressed a desire for Rory to understand their feelings. “Love is action, not words,” she noted, highlighting the emotional chasm that has developed.

Heidi also raised alarms about the intentional Christian community, Homestead Heritage, that Rory and his wife, Rebecca, are involved with. Citing reports of past abuses within the group, she questioned its environment and Rory's role in it. Rory acknowledged that while there may be a few bad actors in any large group, he maintained that their community actively reports any incidents of abuse.

Heidi poignantly stated, “I really just want to be able to be in my little sister's life and I can't. I'm trying to do the right thing.”

In contrast, Rory's recent blog post shared his pride in Indiana's progress, stating that she is doing “super well” and has begun 5th grade with Rebecca as her homeschool teacher.

Heidi had earlier felt “heartbroken” by Rory’s claim that Indiana’s care has never been better, especially in regards to Rory’s late wife (and Indiana’s mother) Joey, who died in 2016. Rory married Rebecca in July.

Rory Feek's family visit sparks online debate over communication and mediation

After Rory Feek’s recent attempt to visit his daughters, Heidi and Hopie, ended in disappointment, social media users weighed in on the family’s ongoing disputes. Many commented on the necessity of having a mediator present during discussions, with one user stating, “Needs to be private. Nothing wrong with having a mediator present and lawyers.” 

Others speculated, "Not sure what the family dynamics are but there didn’t seem to be a problem till he got married."

One remarked, “That’s funny. She never had panic attacks when daddy was putting money in her hand.” Others felt that the daughters should make an effort to communicate directly with their father, with comments like, “His daughters need to calm down and talk to their dad.”

"I think she's being drama queen that they have to have a panic attack because he showed up to talk to him It's his daughter not their daughter and they don't have to like the religion he's choosing to be," another user wrote.

"I can't believe this, he seemed so nice and caring, maybe someone is in the kids ear, time for a court mediator," a user said.

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