Donny Future Fund pt.2

We’re going through a bit of a tough time and wanted to be open with you all.

When Janet traveled to Maryland for the court hearing regarding guardianship of Donny, she clearly stated that she lived in Arkansas and that once Donny’s father passed, she would be bringing him back here with her. We all walked away under the impression that this meant guardianship would transfer automatically. Unfortunately, that was never formally documented by the judge.

Now, as we try to legally settle Donny here in Arkansas, we’re realizing just how complex—and expensive—this process truly is.

We’ve only been navigating this specific legal situation for about three weeks, and it's already cost us over $500. The first 15-minute consultation with a lawyer alone was $300. Just to have someone from Maryland send an official notice to an office cost another $150. Based on what we’ve learned, we anticipate the full process will end up costing somewhere between $3,000 and $5,000.

From the moment Donny came into our lives, we’ve known that he is our responsibility—and we’ve embraced that with open arms. He receives Social Security benefits, and we believe wholeheartedly that he should be able to use his money like any adult would—for rent, food, the things he loves—not to be drained by legal fees.

This is a hard ask to make. We don’t want anyone to think that we believe we deserve money just because we have him with us. That’s not what this is. This is about making sure he’s legally protected and settled, with a secure future. Since moving here, Donny has grown so much. He is loved, supported, and thriving. We just want to keep it that way—without the constant fear of “what happens if something happens to Janet?” hanging over our heads.

Unfortunately, red tape doesn’t care how much love someone is surrounded by. The legal system demands things on paper, with stamps and signatures—and those come with a cost.

We’ve tapped into every resource we can and have been so grateful for the referrals, advice, and encouragement we've received. We’re now turning to our village one more time—if anyone feels led to help us financially as we work through the court system, we would be incredibly grateful.

As always, please continue to pray for us all as well as we navigate these uncharted waters.

Thank you all so much—for the love you show Donny, for being part of his story, and for helping us make sure his future is secure.

With love and gratitude,

Casey and Janet