The 75-year-old Toms River resident finally was able to extricate himself from the confines of a court-ordered guardianship on Dec. 16, only to find his old life in disarray.
While under the protection of the state Public Guardian, who was responsible for making medical and financial decisions on Schmidt’s behalf, his savings were wiped out, most of his furniture and other belongings were disposed of, and his townhouse wound up in foreclosure.
His home wasn’t even habitable when the guardianship was terminated because all the utilities had been shut off for nonpayment during his absence. Helen C. Dodick, the acting Public Guardian, told the Press last month that her agency is constrained by the limits of a ward’s assets, if any exist, and often can’t pay off all of the person’s debts.
Over the past few weeks, however, the kindness of strangers has given Schmidt’s spirits a boost.
So far, more than a dozen people who read about Schmidt’s predicament in the Press have contributed more than $700 to help him out, in addition to donating a sofa, new dishes and other household items to replace the possessions Schmidt lost.
“I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart, and God bless you,” Schmidt said.
The Office of the Public Guardian has stepped up, too. The agency’s attorney, Suzanne Dykes, arranged to have Schmidt’s utilities restored, and has persuaded Schmidt’s bank not to pursue the foreclosure, he said. Schmidt paid off his mortgage years ago, but the reverse mortgage he obtained in 2005 gave the bank the right to foreclose if he stopped living in the home.
Full Article & Source:
Press readers aid man impoverished during guardianship
See Also:
NJ guardian laws leave Toms River man fighting to regain freedom
NJ Man Free of Guardianship He Said He No Longer Needs!
8 comments:
It's criminal what a bad guardian does to vulnerable elders, but it's wonderful that the public is responding and trying to help.
It's wonderful the public is responding of course. But, that the public has to make up for the monies gobbled up by the guardianship is outrageous.
Here we go now multiply this by _____________ for those who survive to finally be free.
Oh thank you so much for protecting at a high cost to the former ward Ken Schmidt. Now that his life is in ruins he is at the mercy of the generosity of we the people who paid these sob's to take care of Mr. Schmidt's affairs.I know there are those out there who would say the PiGs did a great job.We are all at risk for a disaster the only way to beat these sob's at this game is to have all those who hit 18 years of age to get in the habit of executing power of attorney for health care #1 most important thing to do and update as necessary #2 is power of attorney for property if more adults do this less for the protection industry unregulated and nobody can give you a number of how many adults are in the protection industry's grips.
Keep pounding!
He knows people care and that's priceless!
The guardian should be sitting in the corner, hanging his head in shame.
My loved one designated me as her POA and Health Care Surrogate. She even took it a step further designating her brother as a back -up in case I couldn't carry out her wishes. IT DID NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE! The judge had to give it to the guardian because the probate/protection industry wants the loot more than obeying the laws or respecting the intentions of a ward that was Not incapaciteted in the first place!
Unfortunately, she probably is now because of all the psyshotropic drugs they've forced down her throat for the past 17 months. What a farce it all is...
This woman basically took my mother away from me when I was 11. Her health entirely declined and now residess in a long term care facility at the age of 53. Something needs to change in this state. I'm glad to hear Ken was able to get his life back. It was worth the fight!
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