Guardianship and Help for Benjamin
Donation protected
Dear Friends,
Robin Bruno Figurski has been my friend since I was young. We grew up together, and she is like family to me. She and her husband, Brian, need some help.
Robin and Brian’s son, Benjamin, will turn 17 on November 8, 2019. For most parents, it is a time for their child to be making his way through high school and deciding what to do with his/her future. Their story is different. Their Benjamin has autism/mental retardation and severe anxiety disorder. His panic attacks and serious aggression have kept him in and out of the hospital during this past school year.
Background on Ben
Daily care for Benjamin is extremely difficult. He needs help with many of his daily tasks, including dressing and bathing. Leaving the house is a daily struggle for Ben. He is home bound now, and a teacher will need to come to the house to help transition him back into school. As Ben has gotten older, he has shown sudden aggression that can become very physical. They do not know exactly what causes them, and the episodes can come on suddenly. They have worked hard for many years to find medications to help lessen his aggression, but nothing has helped. Some medications made things even worse by causing tics, a more intense form of aggression, and even causing Benjamin to go into a catatonic state where it would take him up to 40 minutes to move from one place to another. He is now receiving electroshock therapy to help with his catatonia.
Guardianship
Ben will be viewed as an adult when he turns 18. When he is 18, his parents will not be able to make decisions on his behalf. To avoid this Robin and Brian are required by law to file for legal guardianship of Ben. Without filing for guardianship, they no longer will be able to make decisions regarding Ben’s medical needs, his education, his living arrangements, etc. This is very concerning to them and to me. The clock is ticking quickly. They must start the guardianship process now! It is not a simple process. Lawyers and the courts must be involved.
Costs
Some may consider the legal fees for guardianship to be minor; however, these fees upwards of $7,000 are not minor to their family. Robin and Brian have used ALL of their financial resources to provide care for Ben and his ongoing medical needs. Please consider supporting this Go Fund Me page to help with these legal fees and the future care of Ben. All this family wants to do is to continue to provide the loving care their son deserves. They want to be sure that Ben, who cannot care for or defend himself, will have his family there to care for him in the future.
In Closing and Thank You
As you can imagine, it has been heartbreaking for Robin and Brian to watch their child go through this type of daily struggle. Even so, they love Ben unconditionally. Just as you would never quit on your child…Robin and Brian would never quit on Ben. Ben is a sweet boy who loves everything retro, such as old school instruments and toys (Mr. Potato Head, Whack-a-Mole), movies on VHS tapes, and Michael Jackson.
Thank you for taking the time to read Ben’s story. If you want to send help to the family offline, please send an email to [email redacted]. I can provide you with more information on how to do that. Thank you in advance for your generosity and kindness.
Robin Bruno Figurski has been my friend since I was young. We grew up together, and she is like family to me. She and her husband, Brian, need some help.
Robin and Brian’s son, Benjamin, will turn 17 on November 8, 2019. For most parents, it is a time for their child to be making his way through high school and deciding what to do with his/her future. Their story is different. Their Benjamin has autism/mental retardation and severe anxiety disorder. His panic attacks and serious aggression have kept him in and out of the hospital during this past school year.
Background on Ben
Daily care for Benjamin is extremely difficult. He needs help with many of his daily tasks, including dressing and bathing. Leaving the house is a daily struggle for Ben. He is home bound now, and a teacher will need to come to the house to help transition him back into school. As Ben has gotten older, he has shown sudden aggression that can become very physical. They do not know exactly what causes them, and the episodes can come on suddenly. They have worked hard for many years to find medications to help lessen his aggression, but nothing has helped. Some medications made things even worse by causing tics, a more intense form of aggression, and even causing Benjamin to go into a catatonic state where it would take him up to 40 minutes to move from one place to another. He is now receiving electroshock therapy to help with his catatonia.
Guardianship
Ben will be viewed as an adult when he turns 18. When he is 18, his parents will not be able to make decisions on his behalf. To avoid this Robin and Brian are required by law to file for legal guardianship of Ben. Without filing for guardianship, they no longer will be able to make decisions regarding Ben’s medical needs, his education, his living arrangements, etc. This is very concerning to them and to me. The clock is ticking quickly. They must start the guardianship process now! It is not a simple process. Lawyers and the courts must be involved.
Costs
Some may consider the legal fees for guardianship to be minor; however, these fees upwards of $7,000 are not minor to their family. Robin and Brian have used ALL of their financial resources to provide care for Ben and his ongoing medical needs. Please consider supporting this Go Fund Me page to help with these legal fees and the future care of Ben. All this family wants to do is to continue to provide the loving care their son deserves. They want to be sure that Ben, who cannot care for or defend himself, will have his family there to care for him in the future.
In Closing and Thank You
As you can imagine, it has been heartbreaking for Robin and Brian to watch their child go through this type of daily struggle. Even so, they love Ben unconditionally. Just as you would never quit on your child…Robin and Brian would never quit on Ben. Ben is a sweet boy who loves everything retro, such as old school instruments and toys (Mr. Potato Head, Whack-a-Mole), movies on VHS tapes, and Michael Jackson.
Thank you for taking the time to read Ben’s story. If you want to send help to the family offline, please send an email to [email redacted]. I can provide you with more information on how to do that. Thank you in advance for your generosity and kindness.
Organizer
Antonietta Tripodi Quinn
Organizer
Webster, NY
