Ed Baker has gone through enough already.The 53-year-old Dolton native spent 22 years in the Navy, serving in the Persian Gulf War before eventually retiring as a lieutenant commander. Then, four years ago, he suffered a major stroke that left the left side of his body paralyzed.
Now, all he wants is to come home from Colorado to his family in Illinois. And family members in Midlothian and New Lenox want that, too.
But Baker can’t. He can’t go anywhere, in fact. He hasn’t been free to make such decisions since almost two years ago, when a judge in Colorado — based on Baker’s condition after his stroke — approved a petition by the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services to appoint a guardian and conservator for him. The decision made Baker a ward of the state of Colorado and stripped him of many of his rights.
Baker now is a resident of the Sierra Healthcare Community nursing home in Lakewood, Colo. — apparently against his will. This despite the fact the Colorado Department of Veterans Affairs declared in January that Baker is competent to make personal decisions and handle the VA funds to which he is entitled, such as his monthly pension checks.
“I just want to be free,” Baker said during a telephone interview with the SouthtownStar earlier this month. “If I was in jail or if I did something wrong, I understand. But I didn’t do anything wrong.”
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Veteran Caught in Web After Stroke: "I just want to be free."
I think it's criminal that an innocent US citizen is stripped of all their rights, the right to be with family.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, it's worse when the protection industry does their routine, their business as usual on a Veteran who sacrificed and served our country during the prime of his life, only to find out via guardianship he is a non person, a product to generate profit; he has less rights than a convicted incarcerated criminal. UnAmerican a national disgrace.
No excuse for this cruel treatment under color of law, it's all about power and control of person and estate; intent is to have total control over money.
Shame shame shame on YOU.
Ed Baker said what all those forced into facilities, "I just want to be free" --- and isn't that what he fought for?
ReplyDeleteI am praying for Mr. Baker and for his family.
ReplyDelete"Web" is right. It's like getting caught in a spider's web - and then they eat you up!
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking and a life sentence a Veteran is ambushed all these years later I would write what I'm thinking but 100% guarantee my comment would be rejected. So I will state my wish of misery upon those who engage in cruel treatment
ReplyDeleteKARMA BABY!
Let the man go home for goodness sake.
ReplyDeleteHoly Spirit, enlighten our hearts.
ReplyDeleteGive us light and strength
to know your will, to make it our own,
and to live it in our lives.
Guide us by your wisdom;
support us by your power; for you are God,
sharing the glory of Father and Son.
You desire justice for all:
enable us to uphold the rights of others;
do not allow us to be misled by ignorance
or corrupted by favor.
Unite us to yourself in the bond of love
and keep us faithful to all that is true.
Help us to temper justice with love,
so that all our decisions
may be pleasing to you,
and bring us the inheritance
promised to good and faithful servants.
You live and reign with the Father
and the Son, one God, for ever and ever.
SO sad! Another victim.
ReplyDeleteEd Baker passed away February 2, 2020. He is free at last..
ReplyDelete