What does that mean? It means that he was found to be "no longer in need of a guardian."
Why would we want to tell you this story? This is a pretty big deal for Bill who, at 57, has finally been determined capable of making his own decisions, being responsible for his own health, his own finances, his own life!
After both of his parents had passed away, he asked me who his guardian was going to be. I asked him if he wanted to be his own guardian and he said "I kind of already am, right?" and I knew what he meant. For over 30 years, with the help of various people at Avenues and in his community at large, Bill has been gaining the skills and knowledge that he needed to be independent as he could possibly be.
Bill came to Avenues in 1980 and he will tell you that, at age 21, "I was a lot different than I am now. I didn't know how to make decisions. I needed my mother & father to help with everything." He remembers when they became his legal guardians a few years later. He says that, at the time, this was the best thing for him "because I couldn't do a lot of things on my own." As the years went by, Bill learned more about taking care of his home, managing his finances, and being responsible for his healthcare. He learned how to get around town on his own and made a ton of friends in Park Ridge along the way. When his mother was sick, he even pitched in to help care for her. He has held a job at Jewel for almost 25 years and is one of their most trusted employees.
To hear all of these things said aloud in court and hear the judge tell Bill that she felt there was no question that he was capable of being his own guardian and that he should be proud of himself for what he has accomplished, well, this face says it all...
Bill holding the official court order.
