Nadia was adopted from Paraguay when she was 18 months old and lived with her parents well into her adult years. She has Tourette's, fibromyalgia and other neurological conditions which prevent her from working or attending school. She has no SSI and lives on a $275 a month EBT card. When Nadia was in the hospital, her mother died at her home of a heart attack. It was more than a week before her body was found. The following year, her father died of advanced dementia in an assisted living facility. The nursing home locked her out of her house and wouldn't let her visit her father until a few weeks before he died when they summoned her to sign his hospice papers. Two months later, they called her to pick up her father's cremains. Incredibly, after she probated the wills, the Orphans' Court refused her request for a funeral and memorial expenses. The appointed executor refused to probate the will, and she was billed for court costs. She was denied access to her family home and possessions until the estate is settled, which could take years.

Inexplicably, the will revealed that Nadia's father left "no provision" for his beloved daughter he had cared for and supported since she was a child. Discovery revealed that had a TBI and was diagnosed with dementia at the time he signed the will. He couldn't drive and was totally reliant on his spouse. Nadia believes that her father was not capable of making a will that reflected his true intentions. He left his entire estate to a birdwatching society, a local pet shelter, and an international aid foundation, only one of which he had only nominally supported over the years.

I've known Nadia and her mother for more than 20 years and can attest that her parents, who were devout Christians, would never have abandoned their only daughter, who had a known history of significant lifelong disabilities.

She came to me after her mother died when she was homeless and destitute. I took her in and promised to care for her when no one else would. I know what it's like to lose both parents; when I was five, my father died of prostate cancer and my mother raised me as a single parent before she was murdered in her own home. With no one to turn to and no inheritance, I joined the Air Force and proudly served for eight years during the Cold War. My takeaway: no man left behind. Nadia's father was a US Navy veteran in the Vietnam War, and I consider it my solemn duty to honor his legacy by caring for his daughter and committing his ashes to the sea, according to his last wishes.

The estate is now in full caveat with the claims of testamentary capacity and undue influence. The expenses are mounting, and the judge has ordered mediation, but there has been no settlement. As Nadias friend and POA, I refuse to have her go into a shelter or to be left homeless on the streets of Baltimore in the middle of summer. She needs to reclaim her legacy and obtain the resources she needs to live with dignity. With the evidence we have, I believe she has an excellent chance of obtaining a fair and equitable settlement.

I've hired a highly reputable litigation lawyer who is guiding Nadia through the complex legal process of challenging the purported will. It's her right as an heir at law to uncover the truth and honor her parents' final wishes.

I've pledged to help Nadia reclaim her life and legacy. Will you join us?

Nadia's probate filings are public record, and you can access them online by visiting www.registers.maryland.gov. The estate number is 232275. The full caveat is available as a download under item 27.

As Nadia's Statutory Power of Attorney and caregiver, I will personally ensure that all donations from this fundraiser are applied to legal expenses, court costs, and her basic subsistence during this stressful and costly legal process.

Nadia and I thank you for your compassion and generosity, and for taking the time to read and share this with anyone interested in making even a small donation as she moves forward towards a resolution.