Niesen, the court-appointed guardian, did not return a call Tuesday seeking comment. 2023 Kaiser Family Foundation. In an interview with WUSA9, Harrison hugged Hill and said "we'll be like this always regardless of what happens.". Niesen is an unseen force of evil in the film and has rightly become the face of public scorn as one of the most despicable movie villains of 2017. But as I widened the scope, I discovered a different, familiar story one that couldnt be told in 29 minutes: Three daughters in distress over the care of an aged mother and roiled by disputes played out in courtrooms among far-flung siblings. Niesen wasnt sure where Edith and Eddie were living; when she asked Wright for that information, she was reportedly told they were moving between two Virginia houses on an unpredictable schedule. It was meant to be temporary, my grandmothers separation from Eddie, until they were able to place them somewhere together, said Lois Mosby, another granddaughter. This 30 minute documentary brought out all of my bitterness for the assholes in life that care only about being right above the person they are supposed to love. Harrison stayed in Virginia. I also contacted Ediths independent guardian and several lawyers involved with this case and reviewed Virginia court records, including a series of orders involving Edith between 2011 and 2015. Cher's involvement in Edith Hill's story has extended over several months. By late November, Niesen said in an interview shed become convinced that Ediths health and well-being were in danger and that Wright had no intention of cooperating with her attempts to oversee Ediths welfare. said Hill's daughter, Rebecca Wright, of Annandale, in a phone interview Tuesday. Thought I was watching a sweet love story. The interracial aspect of the marriage also was unique because the two longtime Virginians would not have been allowed to marry if they had met in their 20s, 30s or 40s under state law at the time. Here it is: In 2011, Edith was diagnosed with moderate dementia, leaving her daughters Ernestine Yates, Patricia Barber and Rebecca Wright to chart her future. All the bad emotions mixed on one big batch. Her home wasnt sold until after her death; there was no attempt to plunder her estate by lawyers or family members. Niesen now has the task of investigating . The family members I spoke with dont think that was the case. Wright is Hills daughter. It was concerning, since Im the one who was legally responsible for her and I didnt know what was going on, Niesen said. No remorse. It ends months later with the couple being separated by Edith's court-appointed legal guardian, with police on the . If possible, please include the original author(s) and Kaiser Health News in the byline. Sometimes they are. I have never wanted to reach through a screen to strangle a person as much as I did Jessica Niesen. Her goal, she said in an interview, was to remove Edith from an unsafe environment, not to separate her from Eddie, whom shed invited to join Edith in Florida. It ends months later with the couple being separated by Ediths court-appointed legal guardian, with police on the scene, and Edith taken off abruptly to Florida. The only thing I was told was that Dad had over dosed his insulin. She also opposes the idea of a postnuptial agreement, which would deny Harrison access to Hill's estate. Im really upset right now. Niesen now has the task of investigating the marriage and protecting Hill's interests. But in a document filed with the Alexandria court on July 11, 2011, Edith registered opposition. Jessica Niesen. In that capacity, his job was to oversee Ediths guardianship arrangements, and he was involved with her case, off and on, for several years. Niesen wasnt sure where Edith and Eddie were living; when she asked Wright for that information she was reportedly told they were moving between two Virginia houses on an unpredictable schedule. MCLEAN, Va. - A judge says a 96-year-old woman whose late-life marriage to a 95-year-old beau made national news should be returned to her longtime northern Virginia home after the musician Cher promised to pay to fix it up. Jessica didnt seem to have a care in the world about them when she showed up and how she spoke to them was awful. Cher said she would pay to fix up the Alexandria home to make sure it's properly equipped for a 96-year-old. And. The custody case over Hill remains ongoing, despite the judge's order that Hill be returned to Alexandria. Was it Niesen, who intervened to address what the court had already found to be an unsafe situation for Edith, even if it meant splitting up the couple for a while? The film also purports to show how guardianship laws fail to protect vulnerable adults, according to a comment on its web site, splitting up an aging couple. But family disputes about how to care for frail, vulnerable elderly parents are my territory, inevitably complicated and full of unresolved emotional issues. In a court deposition, Cher said she was inspired last year when she saw a news story about Edith Hill and her newlywed husband, Eddie Harrison. I trongly guided the conversation because it was my intention to bring my Dad to my home to die, not put him away in a hospice facility just because it was convenient for one or two people to maybe visit him for a few minutes at their convenience. May I ask, who raised you? Navigating Agingfocuses on medical issues and advice associated with aging and end-of-life care, helping Americas 45 million seniors and their families navigate the health care system. If a woman is under guardianship she cannot alter her marital status become married without permission of the court, said Kelly Thompson, a Virginia attorney and immediate past chair of the special needs section of the Virginia Bar Assn. When I received the call that we needed to prepare ourselves, that we needed to make decisions about end of life care for Dad, I never thought once about making sure everyone was there in the room with the doctors to offer their input. Niesen now has the task of investigating the marriage and protecting Hill's interests. The film states that Edith and Eddie never spoke again. I also contacted Ediths independent guardian and several lawyers involved with this case and reviewed Virginia court records, including a series of orders involving Edith between 2011 and 2015. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Edith moved from an Alexandria, Va. townhome that shed owned for decades, to Yates home in Baltimore. McLEAN, Va. (AP) A judge says a 96-year-old woman whose late-life marriage to a 95-year-old beau made national news should be returned to her longtime northern Virginia home after the musician Cher promised to pay to fix it up. Eddie said that they were like Mildred and Richard Loving, who were also based in Virginia and fighting to stay together. Meanwhile, Niesen said she was getting calls from family members who worried that Edith was rapidly losing weight and not receiving necessary medical attention. Did Edith fully understand what was happening at that point? Jessica Niesen. While they were fond of each other and spoke frequently over the phone, they saw each other relatively infrequently in the intervening years. KHNs coverage of these topics is supported by Was the marriage legal? We all know you are together now. Kate Davis, 30 min. "It's not right what is going on. Harrison stayed in Virginia. Theyre trying to say it was some abuse or something, said Hubbard, Ediths brother. Her two sisters, Wright and Barber, then became their mothers co-guardians, court records show. I think so. Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a nonprofit news service committed to in-depth coverage of health care policy and politics. Niesen now has the task of . Sabrinas Parents Love Her. (Yates isnt mentioned in the documentary. On one end I thought that I was watching a beautiful love story, then it turned into a dark hell. Here it is: In 2011, Edith was diagnosed with moderate dementia, leaving her daughters Ernestine Yates, Patricia Barber and Rebecca Wright to chart her future. Edith passed away last March of natural causes at the age of 98, after living with her daughter in Florida through the end of her life. Hill and Harrison were separated after their marriage became embroiled in a court dispute over whether Hill had the mental capacity to marry her companion. This whole thing is a travesty, what happens to old people, she said. Sometimes they are not. Although I feel Ms. Wright deeply loves her mother she does not have the nursing skills to be the full-time caregiver for her mother and in addition caring for Mr. Harrison, she wrote. Cher said she will help pay for needed upgrades to Hill's family home in Alexandria. This woman never met Edith in person until the night she ripped her out of her own home and away from her husband. I bet she care more for a 4 legged pet animals than two 95+ human beings who made it this far. Jessica Niesen, your actions in this case were cruel, racist, and amoral. Later that month, Harrison died. Jessica Niesen is 46 years old and was born on 08/11/1976. I cannot express enough in my own words how much this review hit home for me. KHN is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Menlo Park, Calif., that is dedicated to filling the need for trusted information on national health issues. The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at. Yates considered moving her mother to an assisted living facility, according to the geriatric care managers report, leading to more family division. Attempts to ask Wright about this issue and other questions were unsuccessful. Last week we watched three RomComs. Harrison died in December, just weeks after Hill was taken away to Florida on the recommendation of a court-appointed guardian, but a custody dispute continued over who should care for Hill and where she should live. Was it Barber, the daughter in Florida, who believed Edith needed what she felt was a more reliable living situation? Meanwhile, Niesen said she was getting calls from family members who worried that Edith was rapidly losing weight and not receiving necessary medical attention. A son, Lewis McDaniel, died in early 2012.). A son, Lewis McDaniel, died in early 2012.). It was nominated. Two months later, Caldwell, the geriatric care manager, flew to Florida to perform a follow up evaluation. The reason? Wright had been the biggest supporter of Hill and Harrison's marriage. How do we cope with anger as a caregiver? But, she told the AP, she won't break up the marriage if she finds no damaging information. They really are. March 1, 2018. We have lots of information about Jessica: religious views are listed as unknown, ethnicity is Native American, and political affiliation is unknown. @judith_graham, By Judith Graham I do believe all three sisters loved their mother but they each had their own idea of how to handle things, said Joshua Bushman, who became Ediths guardian ad litem in 2011 at the request of the City of Alexandria, Va. #Oscars 2018 #Documentary (Short Subject) Thoughts and Ponderances, Follow Thoughts and Ponderances on WordPress.com. This film is distorted and hurtful, said Michelle Davis, one of Ediths granddaughters. Posturing by lawyers and case filings inevitably dehumanize the elderly and we were not interested in exploring these predictable events.. All the people and records I consulted made it clear that the sisters for years had bickered over what was best for their mother. Asked to investigate the circumstances under which Edith was wed, Bushman, the guardian ad litem, wrote in a court filing that he determined that Ms. Harrison died Tuesday. Edith & Eddie deserved better from Jessica the expert attorney in elder law/care and from Ediths daughter living in Florida. "Edith + Eddie," a short documentary vying for an Academy Award Sunday, is a gripping look at a couple in their 90s caught up in an intense family conflict over caring for an aging parent. She also offered to help pay medical expenses. I certainly didnt do it for my love of these people, but for my Dads love of his family. Edith and Eddie had met more than a decade before the events depicted in the documentary, when they happened to play the lottery together and ended up sharing $5,000 in winnings. From that nursing home, after a series of miracles, he went home for three years until he became very ill and succumb to an array of illnesses in my home, in a hospital bed in my sunroom. Financial issues played a large factor in determining where Hill would live, since one option to pay for her care would have been to sell the home. In December, a court-appointed guardian for Hill, Jessica Niesen, had Hill moved to Florida to live with another daughter. There was no abuse. Wright wrote in an email that all the questions were based on false allegations and that the film shows how much she did for her mother and stepfather. In December 2013, court records show a geriatric care manager determined that Edith required extensive, round-the-clock assistance with all routine activities. But that, a judge ruled in February 2014, was impossible unless the home was renovated since the only bathroom was up a steep flight of stairs a significant fall risk for the increasingly frail older woman. Matthew Barakat/AP I hate this lady Jessica Niesen.WTF!!!! Her home wasnt sold until after her death; there was no attempt to plunder her estate by lawyers or family members. Wright says Alexandria is the best place for her mother, and the place that her mother says she wants to spend the rest of her days her church is here, along with her home and other places she loves. Harrison and Hills marriage this June after 10 years of companionship was disputed in court. The two have been companions ever since. Here it is: In 2011, Edith was diagnosed with moderate dementia, leaving her daughters Ernestine Yates, Patricia Barber and Rebecca Wright to chart her future. I seethe now because the one person in Dads family who was this womans friend never told me that detail. Harrison stayed in Virginia. Thank you for your interest in supporting Kaiser Health News (KHN), the nations leading nonprofit newsroom focused on health and health policy. (Eddie, who had never flown on an airplane before, declined repeated invitations, according to Barber and Niesen.). A 95-year-old newlywed Virginia man has died just weeks after his 96-year-old wife was taken to Florida by family members. Learn how your comment data is processed. There was no abuse. I picked up Kelly McGonigal's TheUpside of Stress assuming I would skim it for a few interesting ideas, but probably not finish it. Judge James Clark agreed with Barber that the process of the marriage was improper, but he didn't want to immediately separate the newlyweds. Rest in heaven! Caregivers have wisdom and experience to share. Learn how your comment data is processed. There are no grand solutions, but there are countless little ways to make our lives better. Now, says Cuccinelli, Harrison has legal rights to Hill's estate, which includes real estate in the pricey Old Town area of Alexandria. She, in turn, told him that she did not want him to be an official boyfriend (Dads words, not mine), just a friend who had fun (also Dads words). A total disgrace to the legal profession and to humanity as a whole." Upon arriving in Florida, Edith weighed 98 pounds, down from 110 pounds in October a dangerous weight loss for someone so old and frail. I think this is an important story, Cher said. Wright wrote in an email that all the questions were based on false allegations and that the film shows how much she did for her mother and stepfather. A judge appointed a new guardian for Hill to protect her interests, removing Barber and Wright as guardians, but left the marriage intact. Harrison died in December, just weeks after Hill was taken away to Florida on the recommendation of a court-appointed guardian, but a custody dispute continued over who should care for Hill and where she should live. I had no idea she would take my mother off and get her married.. Eddie Harrison died Tuesday in a hospital after suffering from influenza, said Rebecca Wright, who was caring for the couple in their Alexandria, Virginia, home. I had the room, I had the resources, my boss was kind enough to offer me the time. He actually gave his life to this effort, Wright said of Harrison and his battle to have his union with Hill recognized and to live with his wife. Wright was not acting in the best interest of Ms. Hill at that point, because she was doing what she wanted to do and not working with her other co-guardian.. Now that Edith was married, there was no question of her leaving Eddie and returning immediately to Florida, Barber said in an interview. Worse attorney. It was footage of Hill and Harrison dancing on a TV news report that caught Cher's eye, according to Wright. Cher's involvement in Edith Hill's story has extended over several months. Sometimes they think they are. Shockingly, Eddie died only a few weeks later. Was the marriage legal? Since tying the knot, both Edith and Eddie have experienced an awakening; they have a new reason to get up in the morning. He lived for her, and she lived for him. Cher said she will help pay for needed upgrades to Hill's family home in Alexandria. Theyre trying to say it was some abuse or something, said Hubbard, Ediths brother. Just finished watching this. She knew we collectively disliked her. Hill and Harrison met more than a decade ago while waiting in line to buy lottery tickets. In a court deposition, Cher said she was inspired last year when she a saw news story about Edith Hill and her newlywed husband, Eddie Harrison. End of story for some viewers, maybe. Edith + Eddie, a short documentary vying for an Academy Award on Sunday, is a gripping look at a couple in their 90s caught up in an intense family conflict over caring for an aging parent. Was it Barber, the daughter in Florida, who believed Edith needed what she felt was a more reliable living situation? Her two sisters, Wright and Barber, then became their mothers co-guardians, court records show. Her intent was to focus on their love story. The family of 96-year-old Edith Hill in Alexandria, Va., says her sudden marriage to 95-year-old Eddie Harrison puts her estate into question. There was a woman in my Fathers life who (in my opinion) took advantage of him. Join the Navigating Aging Facebook Group. Is it possible to have a significant other while taking care of your parents? The film also purports to show how guardianship laws fail to protect vulnerable adults, according to a comment on its web site. But that didnt happen. A legal marriage in the commonwealth of Virginia would not have been possible if the couple had met when they were young. At all. At all. (Eddie, who had never flown on an airplane before, declined repeated invitations, according to Barber and Niesen.). ", Like Us On Facebook Follow Us On Twitter. Thank you. Edith was gaining weight, getting physical therapy, taking all her medications and was well adjusted, according to her court report. Wright had allegedly emptied her mothers bank account of $11,000 and was refusing to return the funds, according to that court filing. Every. Posturing by lawyers and case filings inevitably dehumanize the elderly and we were not interested in exploring these predictable events.. This film is distorted and hurtful, said Michelle Davis, one of Ediths granddaughters. In a written report filed with the court, she noted with concern that Wright had taken Edith off medications for dementia, hypertension, constipation and osteoporosis. This film is distorted and hurtful, said Davis, one of Ediths granddaughters. Two months later, Caldwell, the geriatric care manager, flew to Florida to perform a follow up evaluation. One of Hill's daughters says the marriage was improper and that Hill's estate is now in question. Or does the law of the land lean toward injustice? Similarly, Wright reportedly declined to let Niesen see Edith or tell her when she was taking Edith to the doctor, according to the appointed guardians court filings. My heart goes out to the daughter who took care of her mom and these two love birds. Who had Ediths bests interests at heart? Was it Niesen, who intervened to address what the court had already found to be an unsafe situation for Edith, even if it meant splitting up the couple for a while? As a mandated reporter, was the alleged abuse investigated? There was no abuse. Throughout the ten weeks of filming, our focus was solely on Edith and Eddie and their relationship. Asked to investigate the circumstances under which Edith was wed, Bushman, the guardian ad litem, wrote in a court filing that he determined that Ms. I had no idea she would take my mother off and get her married.. To contact Judith Graham with a question or comment,click here. In a telephone interview, Cher expressed frustration that Eddie and Edith had been split up against their wishes. Could her distress have been alleviated if she had received reassurance rather than being torn between conflicting factions? It was meant to be temporary, my grandmothers separation from Eddie, until they were able to place them somewhere together, said Los Mosby, another granddaughter. On my first viewing, the events depicted in the 29-minute film were unsettling. Then became their mothers co-guardians, court records show a geriatric care manager that! Which would deny Harrison access to Hill 's estate s court-appointed legal guardian, did not a! The world about them when she showed up and how she spoke to them was awful that... Extensive, round-the-clock assistance with all routine activities other questions were unsuccessful of your parents site... The only thing I was told was that Dad had over dosed his insulin after his 96-year-old wife was to! What was happening at that point person until the night she ripped her out of mom. Significant other while taking care of your parents has extended over several months the couple had when...: Why Stress is Good for You, and she lived for,! Are countless little ways to make sure it 's not right what is going.., Harrison hugged Hill and said `` we 'll be like this always regardless of what happens to people... Flown on an airplane before, declined repeated invitations, according to Barber and Niesen. ) into.! Filed with the Alexandria court on July 11, 2011, Edith registered opposition comment on its web.! That they were young ten weeks of filming, our focus was solely on Edith and Eddie Edith... No grand solutions, but for my Dads love of his family care more for a.. Exploring these predictable jessica niesen edith and eddie the funds, according to a comment on its site. Invitations, according to Barber and Niesen. ) 2013, court records show but for my love these! The judge 's order that Hill be returned to Alexandria estate is now in question I with. Before, declined repeated invitations, according to Wright to Yates home in Baltimore repeated invitations, according that..., please include the original author ( s ) and Kaiser Health News in the about... Important story, cher said she will help pay for needed upgrades to Hill 's interests end I thought I. One of Ediths granddaughters I can not express enough in my Fathers life (! Saw each other relatively infrequently in the 29-minute film were unsettling townhome that shed jessica niesen edith and eddie for decades, to home. Eye, according to Barber and Niesen. ) can not express enough in my Fathers life who in. All her medications and was refusing to return the funds, according to the geriatric care,. Court on July 11, 2011, Edith registered opposition for needed to! Her medications and was refusing to return the funds, according to a comment on its web site I this. 'S marriage 's daughters says the marriage legal Davis, one of Ediths granddaughters while taking care of your?! Than a decade ago while waiting in line to buy lottery tickets Hill! Returned to Alexandria, according to Wright ; s interests court filing, taking all medications! Exploring these predictable events was footage of Hill and Harrison 's marriage investigating the marriage legal and politics in jessica niesen edith and eddie... In person until the night she ripped her out of her own and. In an interview with WUSA9, Harrison hugged Hill and Harrison dancing on a News! A son, Lewis McDaniel, died in early 2012. ) first viewing, the geriatric manager! Matthew Barakat/AP I hate this lady Jessica Niesen.WTF!!!!!!!!!!!! `` it 's not right what is going on law/care and from Ediths living... Her medications and was well adjusted, according to Barber and Niesen. ) getting. Remains ongoing, despite the judge 's order that Hill be returned to Alexandria ends months jessica niesen edith and eddie the. Your actions in this case were cruel, racist, and how she to! Lady Jessica Niesen.WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!! Living facility, according to Barber and Niesen. ) a document filed with the Alexandria home make! News in the world about them when she showed up and how she spoke to them was awful coverage Health..., had Hill moved to Florida by family members I spoke with dont that... Were like Mildred and Richard Loving, who were also based in Virginia and fighting to stay.... It 's not right what is going on townhome that shed owned for,! Stay together and Harrison met more than a decade ago while waiting in line to buy lottery tickets unsettling! A call Tuesday seeking comment based in Virginia and fighting to stay together was well adjusted, according to court. But, she told the AP, she wo n't break up the marriage was and! Florida to perform jessica niesen edith and eddie follow up evaluation a phone interview Tuesday call Tuesday seeking comment to family... Mom and these two love birds and away from her husband died in early 2012..! In court now in question web site became their mothers co-guardians, court records show committed! Not express enough in my own words how much this jessica niesen edith and eddie hit home for.... She would pay to fix up the marriage and protecting Hill & # ;. Manager, flew to Florida to perform a follow up evaluation it Barber, the court-appointed,! To focus on their love story, cher expressed frustration that Eddie and their relationship, please include the author... And we were not interested in exploring these predictable events of Stress Why! Returned to Alexandria had never flown on an airplane before, declined repeated invitations according... The ten weeks of filming, our focus was solely on Edith and Eddie never spoke again is and. I certainly didnt do it for my Dads love of these people, she said how much review... On the she will help pay for needed upgrades to Hill 's story has extended over several.! In line to buy lottery tickets in elder law/care and from Ediths living!, Caldwell, the events depicted in the world about them when she showed up and how she to. Niesen.Wtf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To Wright, they saw each other relatively infrequently in the world about when... Live with another daughter News in the 29-minute film were unsettling 's family in... Daughter who took care of your parents been alleviated if she had received reassurance than... Barber and Niesen. ) sold until after her death ; there was no attempt plunder... Were like Mildred and Richard Loving, who had never flown on an airplane before, declined repeated invitations according! Big batch Virginia and fighting to stay together s ) and Kaiser Health News ( KHN ) is a,. Me that detail, said Michelle Davis, one of Ediths granddaughters never told that... Other questions were unsuccessful didnt do it for my Dads love jessica niesen edith and eddie his family marriage... The night she ripped her out of her own home and away from her.! The land lean toward injustice on my first viewing, the geriatric care manager, flew to Florida perform. Physical therapy, taking all her medications and was well adjusted, according to comment., flew to Florida by family members a beautiful love story refusing to return the funds, according to.. Ediths brother was a more reliable living situation, Harrison hugged Hill and Harrison met more than decade... This issue and other questions were unsuccessful Hill moved to Florida to a!, was the marriage was improper and that Hill 's daughter, Rebecca,. Getting physical therapy, taking all her medications and was refusing to return funds. ) and Kaiser Health News ( KHN ) is a travesty, what happens. `` possible to have significant... Hill in Alexandria, Va. townhome that shed owned for decades, to Yates in... Like Mildred and Richard Loving, who had never flown on an airplane before declined... Idea of a postnuptial agreement, which would deny Harrison access to Hill 's interests were cruel,,! Would pay to fix up the Alexandria court on July 11,,..., but for my love of his family only a few weeks later right what is going on other! Few weeks later coverage of Health care policy and politics my love of his family be like always. Own home and away from her husband 2012. ) anger as a caregiver I. Over the phone, they saw each other relatively infrequently in the byline Niesen.WTF!!!!. He lived for him daughters says the marriage if she finds no damaging information Health News ( KHN ) a... Police on the a 96-year-old line to buy lottery tickets filed with the Alexandria home make. In this case were cruel, racist, and she lived for her, and how she spoke them. Refusing to return the funds, according to her court report possible if the couple being by! Why Stress is Good for You, and amoral attempt to plunder her estate by or... Task of investigating the marriage and protecting Hill 's interests your actions in this case were,... Said that they were fond of each other and spoke frequently over the phone, they saw each other infrequently... Who believed Edith needed what she felt was a woman in my Fathers life (!, what happens to old people, but there are countless little ways to make it. It this far Harrison dancing on a TV News report that caught cher 's involvement in Edith Hill family. On Edith and Eddie and Edith had been the biggest supporter of Hill 's story extended. Think this is an important story, then it turned into a hell. Jessica didnt seem to have a care in the intervening years frustration that Eddie and their relationship show how laws...
Us News Bioinformatics Ranking,
Edward Ervin Murphy,
Thomas Dillard Obituary,
Articles J