How did it start?

After I had watched my father die of a massive heart attack, I had to phone the company where he was intending to return to, the following day, and inform them of this, unfortunately, the executor was working in that same company and he just took over everything, not even giving me a chance to do anything at all.He had BUPA nurses arrive on a 24-hour basis, in what I believed was to look after my mother ONLY, who had Alzheimer's disease, BUT, I was not informed, that they were there to look after ME as well.

What happened next?

I didn't like this, so I did whatever I could to escape, I wanted to visit someone whom I thought was a friend, and I stupidly told the nurses about it, they told the executor and he then tried EVERYTHING HE COULD to keep me in the house, but eventually, I was ALLOWED to escape, and roamed the uk, with him trying to find me, all the while.

What was the worst moment?

When I was in the Salvation Army hostel, I was starving and had no money, I had to beg a busker for some of his own income, to allow me to eat!

Also, when I was in the hotel for the homeless, I was starving again, and again, had no money to buy my own food, and I had to beg the night porter for half his packed lunch, to let me have an evening meal, and, fortunately for me, he thereafter saved part of his lunch, for me, if and when I needed it!

What was the turning point?

I was in my lawyer's offices one day, on a totally different matter, because I had totally given up, and resigned myself, to living in the tower block, till the end of my days, when he suddenly said to me, and I will never forget this, "I am not supposed to tell you, but your Mum DID leave a Will", hope shot through me once again, and that sent me faxing around, trying to find it, which I eventually did, claimed my legal rights in it, and managed to legally escape to where I am now.

What advice would you give to others in a similar position?

Thoroughly check out the executor that you intend to put in charge of your children's affairs, unearth ANYTHING YOU CAN ABOUT HIM/HER!Go right back to his/her birth, if you have to, gut reactions or feelings about them are NOT ENOUGH, turn detective, get forms, documents, ANYTHING to confirm that they are who they say they are, also check whether they have a criminal history!

This is a very powerful position that you are considering, involving CONSIDERABLE trust, decide VERY CAREFULLY what you want the executor to be able to do, and if your children can look after themselves, ALLOW THEM TO DO SO, whatever the executor thinks about it, the executor CANNOT decide your children's future for them, NEITHER can he decide how much money they are to receive on a regular basis.