When she had a choice, Mary Mellinger lived a simple, hard-working life -- raising scores of orphaned, abandoned and needy kids in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco, North Africa.
She mothered them, taught them, prayed with them, comforted them, disciplined them. More than 80 were in her care at one time or another -- including Daoud Sefiane, now a 48-year-old father of three, living in Milford.
"She was strict, but you always felt the love," he said. "And when she would come back from furlough in the United States, she always came back with big suitcases full of gifts for each kid."
If she had her choice, she would still be there at the Children's Haven she founded in 1953 with Irena Wenholz, helping more kids get a strong start in life, pouring her heart and soul into each.
But senility started to eat away at Mellinger's choices about five years ago. As others stepped in to help, her life took a hard turn, unfolding finally in Delaware courtrooms where more of those Moroccan-born children -- now adults -- spent three years battling over who could best care for her and manage her affairs.
Now 93, Mellinger lives on Medicaid and Social Security in a Texas nursing home, unaware of the developments that threatened her health, drained her modest savings, produced thousands in legal fees and left one of those children with a criminal conviction for financial exploitation.
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Mommy Mary's life mission - She never thought her elder days would be like this
She mothered them, taught them, prayed with them, comforted them, disciplined them. More than 80 were in her care at one time or another -- including Daoud Sefiane, now a 48-year-old father of three, living in Milford.
"She was strict, but you always felt the love," he said. "And when she would come back from furlough in the United States, she always came back with big suitcases full of gifts for each kid."
If she had her choice, she would still be there at the Children's Haven she founded in 1953 with Irena Wenholz, helping more kids get a strong start in life, pouring her heart and soul into each.
But senility started to eat away at Mellinger's choices about five years ago. As others stepped in to help, her life took a hard turn, unfolding finally in Delaware courtrooms where more of those Moroccan-born children -- now adults -- spent three years battling over who could best care for her and manage her affairs.
Now 93, Mellinger lives on Medicaid and Social Security in a Texas nursing home, unaware of the developments that threatened her health, drained her modest savings, produced thousands in legal fees and left one of those children with a criminal conviction for financial exploitation.
Full Article and Source:
Mommy Mary's life mission - She never thought her elder days would be like this
4 comments:
This is a horrible story and it illustrates that the system makes it almost impossible to be able to afford to fight for and take care of your loved one.
All this woman did for everybody else -- and to be treated this way is insane.
What a sad end of life story for a woman who gave her life for others.
This is not a family dispute with all sides battling over who was gong to take care of her.
One of the children was taking advantage of her. The others acted to protect her.
That's not a dispute at all.
That's right, it's not a dispute. It's a terrible travesty of justice.
A person shouldn't have to lose their meager savings paying for lawyers who drag out the litigation for years and years -- lining their pockets in the process.
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