Sara and Dan, devoted brother and sister, have been separated for over a decade due to a restrictive court ruling. During these years, Sara was not permitted any contact with Dan (who is non-verbal autistic living in an institutional home), including not sending him gifts, nor asking others to check on him. Sara was unable to ensure a joyful quality of life for Dan as she once did with music, nature walks, vacations, warmth, and humor. Even her friends, who used to call and sing him Happy Birthday, were barred from reaching out. This total separation has been incredibly painful for Sara, who has always cherished her bond with Dan, virtually the only relative with whom she had contact. Certainly, the only one to whom she was close and saw on a regular basis.

Recently, a new court decision may allow Sara limited, supervised visits with Dan. However, the terms suggested by his conservators (legal guardians) are very restrictive: only two short visits per year, supervised by biological relatives from whom Sara is estranged. And it is they who decide if the visits are successful, with the possibility of increasing visits at 1 additional visit per year if they deem them to be beneficial to Dan. The process is rigid, with strict scheduling and little (if any) flexibility for Sara’s health needs. Both Sara and Dan are living with illnesses that make their time together precious.

Sara is seeking legal support to create a fair visitation agreement. She hopes to secure more frequent visits, supervision by a court-appointed neutral party, and much greater flexibility to accommodate her health. Your support will help Sara hire a lawyer to appear at a crucial upcoming hearing on August 5th, to secure a fairer court-ordered arrangement that allows Sara and Dan to reconnect as fully as possible. If the total raised is not enough to hire an attorney, funds can go toward what she hopes will be court-ordered supervised visits with a court-appointed professional supervisor. These cost a minimum of $170 per visit. Additional costs include transportation and logistics involved in visiting Dan. Many many thanks, We appreciate your support in any way possible.