What Say You, Kevin Moshier?

Tragically, Gary Harvey of Horsehead, NY fell down the basement stairs
in January of 2006 and received a traumatic head injury. Since that
time, he has either been in a nursing home or in the hospital and is
under the guardianship of the county. Ironically, the county, who claims
to be looking out for their ward’s best interest, was involved in a
so-called ethics committee decision that Gary Harvey should be starved
and dehydrated to death. The judge over-ruled the call for execution of
an innocent man, though a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) remains in effect.
Sara Harvey, Gary’s wife, is desperately fighting to keep her husband
safe. One can only wonder how much Gary knows of what is going on around
him. Does anyone in charge even care? * * *

 

Sara & Gary Harvey

Sara & Gary Harvey

The Gary Harvey case haunts me, Kevin Moshier.  Does it ever haunt you?  Do you ever wonder, as his court appointed attorney and simply as a human being, if Gary actually knows what is going on around him, but merely can’t let others know? What if he does, Kevin? What if he knows everything that has been said to him or around him? What if he feels everything? What if he feels desperation when his needs aren’t adequately met and when he has to fight still another infection? What if he feels the isolation and misses the once frequent visits of the wife he so loves? What if… Kevin Moshier?… what if he is actually a human being, who once laughed and planned and thought tomorrow would be one day closer to his future plans and dreams? What if he still isn’t done hoping for a better tomorrow? What if he needs your help, Kevin? Will you help him? What if you don’t? What if you don’t, Kevin Moshier? What if you leave him to fight alone? Will his tomorrows then forever end?

Gary Harvey Series: In Darkness & Isolation

SaraGaryHarveyGary Harvey of “warehoused scenario central”, New York, is living in an inexcusable isolation!  What visits this man is allowed are limited, restricted and supervised.  Permission must be obtained to even touch him.  A kiss on the cheek must also be approved by the authority now deemed in control of his very existence.  An authority that seems to enjoy toying with the lives and emotions of those they can control and the friends and loved ones that have dared to challenge or question their decisions, behaviors and directives.

Chemung County, New York, supposedly cares for its wards, even the ones they claim not to want, but then fight desperately to keep. Their decisions are always in the best interest of those wards, right? (That’s what they say anyway.)  This then makes one wonder why they would hesitate to make sure the eye care that Gary Harvey gets is top-notch (they certainly aren’t paying for it) and to stay on top of what might be an eye problem in the making or a condition getting worse.

Gary Harvey suffers from a traumatic brain injury.  That’s true. However, no one knows how far he could come along, if he were to receive therapy and stimulation, such as having frequent visitors who are allowed to touch him and give him a kiss on the cheek, just because giving him a kiss on the cheek might be a gesture of affection he is needing.  No one knows and it seems like those in control — simply don’t care.

Gary has been forced to live in this man-made isolation for years now.  One would think it couldn’t get worse, but it might.  Gary might end up in darkness as well as isolation.  Who will care though?  Chemung County authorities or Kevin Moshier?

(Article originally posted on American Clarion – March 7, 2013.)