To this day, the family said, neither Vera nor Project Guardianship have provided an explanation for how Ms. Apple ended up in her condition. Vera remains legally responsible for both Ms. Apple’s personal care and her finances.
During the first week of her hospitalization, Dr. Silverstein, the hospital refused to allow Mrs. Apple’s family to visit her or even receive information about her condition; he said the patient care department had told him this was on the orders of the guardian.
Attorney Dr. Silverstein and Ms. Apple’s sister, Marcel Florestal, said in a recent conference, Vera’s attorney indicated that the organization would agree to step aside as Ms. Apple’s guardian, but would try to remain her guardian. assets, which totaled more than $700,000 as of 2019, according to the report Vera filed Wednesday. In 2019, Vera received $9,375 in commissions for managing Ms. Apple’s finances, the report said.
Vera started her child custody project in 2005, in conjunction with the state court system, “in response to studies and news reports documenting guardian abuse,” according to Vera’s website, which promotes the project’s “highly regarded holistic child custody services model,” which includes attorneys, social workers and financial workers.
Mrs. Apple’s aneurysm left her with noticeable cognitive deficits and unable to care for herself. But she remained animated and able to carry on conversations, her family said.
In June last year, her ex-husband was concerned about her weight. He wrote to Beth Williams, Project Guardianship’s chief attorney in Ms. Apple’s case, that she “appeared exceptionally thin and frail.” Mrs. Williams thanked him for bringing the matter to her attention. On Wednesday, Ms Williams, who left Project Guardianship in October, said by phone: “I really don’t remember corresponding with Gary about Bonnie’s doctors or about weight loss.”
