Dad & Me Revisited Part 3

After finding out where Dad was living, the following weekend my Uncle and Auntie made the 2 hour drive to surprise him. It was a day of great joy and sadness. Heartbreaking to see a man once large and in charge unable to care for himself. In the year he had been dumped at the nursing home, one neighbor had come to visit. He had been outside and off the property once. They loaded him and his wheelchair up in the car, went out to eat and to Walmart. He really wanted a beer (had to settle for the root variety) and soaked up the fresh air and sunshine like a sponge.

He was in 7th Heaven.

The following month I visited. He knew I was coming but we showed a day early to surprise him. The three of us walked into his room (he was still in bed even though the nurses knew we were coming) and he was thrilled to see them. He nodded politely at me, not knowing who I was. It had been 20 years. I'll never ever forget the moment standing next to his bed when I said, "Hi Daddy, it's me.. Seesa.." (my childhood nickname). He grabbed my hands and rubbed them on his cheeks and cried.

We all cried. A lot.

I had grand plans of swooping in and saving the day. She Devil and her family were still living (more like squatting) in his home, completely leaching off of him. His monthly checks were direct deposited and somehow.. magically.. all the bills were being paid online. Mortgage, car payment, gas, electric, ALL their cell phones. Did I mention they got hold of his ATM card and helped themselves whatever cash was leftover? They had a nice little con going on (and a voiceless victim). I was about to put the kibosh on all that. And fast.

Dad's one wish was to have them prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It's called Elder Abuse and that would be a felony. You can't dump a human being and steal everything right out from under them and get away Scot-free. Justice had to prevail, right?

Wrong. In a big way.