Extraordinary People of the Senior Kind ~ Fay

Fay was one of the first non-seniors I had for a client. She was mentally challenged and was a ward of the Court. Although her family had set money aside for her, it was being admninistered by an attorney/guardian and he was a cheapskate. She was living in a Medicaid housing unit where the cost for room and board was $575 a month. This was 1993 so that was not a lot.

Eventually I got her back her rights. I got her back her money, which together we placed in the hands of a trust bank here in Florida. I got her own apartment adjacent to the area that became South Beach and she got her own boyfriend and her very own set of problems living on her own. We were fashionable and trendy and didn't even know it at the time. I got her a job and I taught her how to function. Although she began to chafe under even my soft guidelines, we managed to stay in close contact as she was forced to mature from 15 to 25 years old in 9 months.

Enter Hurricane Andrew. I don't know if you can possibly imagine the logistics and resultant stress from trying to coordinate the whereabouts of 100 different clients, but that's what we have to do when a hurricane comes to visit, and we have to stay in touch with their families. We had plenty of warning but Fay didn't want to leave the beach or her apartment. Three times I sent a car service to pick her up and three times she (stubbornly) refused to go.

Finally when she was willing, the car services weren't operating and even for $100 cash money, cab drivers were not interested. I couldn't sleep that night worrying what I was going to tell her guardian and how was I going to find out what happened to her, as her level of functioning was not up to dealing with emergencies. Cell phones did not exist then and Miami Beach was going to be a disaster.

We spent the night in an 80 year-old home with 4 feet thick walls that withstood the winds. When the electricity inexplicably came back on the next day, a shout from my husband brought me running in to see my Fay being interviewed on T.V. as she explained to the crew how she was marooned and simply went to the nearest shelter.

If she was standing in front of me, I don't know if I would have hugged her or killed her, but for sure, I was greatly relieved.

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