Maria Shriver Releases Statement: “A Painful And Heartbreaking Time.” Meanwhile, Their Children Tweet.

You thought YOU were surprised. Imagine Maria Shriver upon discovering that husband Arnold Schwarzenegger had a kid – ten years ago – with a flight attendant on their private jet. Their recent separation, it seems, stemeed from the incident, which was kept secret, despite the National Enquirer scooping and reporting this story just days before he won the election to become governor of California.

Well, now it’s out there, and Schwarzenegger has had to own up to it, and Shriver is caught in the crossfire. She released a statement today, acknowledging the incident, the pain, and her hopes from the media:

“This is a painful and heartbreaking time,” Shriver said in a statement to the media. “As a mother, my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal. I will have no further comment.”

Arnold and Maria were married for 25 years. Two of their four children turned to Twitter to show their support for their family and offer thanks to their supporters.

“I love my family till death do us apart,” Patrick Arnold Schwarzenegger, 17, tweeted, also quoting lyrics to a song by hip-hop group Fort Minor: “some days you want to quit and just be normal for a bit.”

Katherine Eunice Schwarzenegger, 21, tweeted: “This is definitely not easy but I appreciate your love and support as i begin to heal and move forward in life. I will always love my family!”

UPDATE: But there’s just ONE little detail that has since surface. Son Patrick, who had been going by Patrick Schwarzenegger, has apparently changed his profile name to Shriver… (pictured):

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