‘Queen Blair’ deserved a better fate
Court, guardians made beloved woman a prisoner in her home
In response to the article in the (May 7) Sunday Journal “Darnell conservator disputes claims,” I find the response by Darryl W. Millet quite disturbing. It appears to be an effort to save his job — too little, too late! The “Who Guards The Guardians” articles by Diane Dimond were well written and important information for families in this country! Families need to take notice and take care of each other! Don’t let the court system in your business because it will most likely deplete your assets and make a tough situation much worse!
Blair Darnell was a queen to so many — Mardi Gras, Quarter Horse, 4-H! If you knew Blair, you were aware of her love for all people, children and animals. Unfortunately, she developed Alzheimer’s, and to someone that didn’t see her every day she seemed like the same old Blair. Always happy to see you and ready to hug a kid or pet an animal. Blair never met a stranger even after she wasn’t sure who most of us were! She was so happy each day to walk from her house back to her old house where (her daughter and family) Mary, Dick and young Casey were. She played with Casey while his parents fixed breakfast. The court system took that away from Blair! It is quite possible if the courts had never been involved, she would be alive today. When your words fail you but you are still the kind, wonderful person who just wants to hug people and pet animals, it kills your spirit to be surrounded by strangers who let your friends and family visit by appointment. These “guardians” forced her to live in a house without a dog or a horse for the first time in her life, and they seemed to think it was for her own good. She was a prisoner in her own home.
Mr. Millet does not believe that Blair told Mary, “Get these laws changed so this doesn’t happen to another family.” I can assure you that although Blair had Alzheimer’s and had a tough time communicating, she was the same lovable person until the end, and she did know that what was happening to her was so wrong! For example, as my Aunt Emily and I took her home one day after lunch and a movie several years after she was “fenced in” her own property, she sat in the front seat of my Suburban, pointed at the fence in front of us and said, “You see that fence over there? Someday I’m going to get something and cut it all the way down so the next person who lives here won’t have to be locked in.” She absolutely knew the difference between right and wrong!
I wish I had been there when Mr. Millet had Blair’s jeep that she was so proud of loaded up to be hauled away and she kicked him. I would have had a tough time not joining in! What would it have cost to leave the jeep on the property? On what planet does it cost $14,000 to $16,000 per month to care for a relatively healthy, sweet lady in her own home? On what planet is it OK for strangers to sell your property without permission? I sincerely hope that this series of articles and the legacy of Queen Blair Darnell help other families keep from enduring this heartbreaking process in the name of the law!
I was one of Blair and (her husband) Casey Darnell’s 4-H kids; they were my parent’s friends, my husband (Bob) climbed La Luz Trail with Blair when he was in high school, Bob and I were 4-H leaders for (her daughters) Emily and Mary, and our entire family loves the Darnell family. There are hundreds of kids who grew up with Blair and Casey who will be watching the court system and working for some real change!