This man has been abusive and created much family grief over the years before abandoning my friend. Now he wants to come "home" because he has lung cancer. My friend doesn't have her own home, but lives with a sister who allowed him to be brought in while medical appointments and hospital visits were coordinated.
This man is still verbally abusive although this kindness was given to him. My friend cannot care for him as she has post polio syndrome and is very frail, in her 70s and could not withstand the hardship, nor is her sister willing to let him stay in her home. The man is currently in the hospital receiving treatment. My friend is beside herself with fear that she will be held responsible for any debt or caregiving responsibility. He simply cannot come back to stay with them. He's been living several states away in a van with is now uninhabitable. What can she do to protect herself from this burden? He is not a veteran and has gone through all his money, though he does receive social security. That's it.
People take taxis or Ubers if no one is there to pick them up. Let’s hope he doesn’t return to her house. I totally agree with NotGoodEnough and Geaton. She needs to speak with her divorce attorney ASAP!
What a sad situation for her to be in.
She didn’t remarry though. Can you imagine going through this? Having your husband say, “Honey, I am going out for cigarettes.” Then as his wife, never seeing him again!
I have heard police say that not all missing person cases are cases of people that are missing. They assume new identities and live as other people.
Regardless of what she decides to do, she will need therapy.
If she decides to take him back, she needs to set the condition that he attends couples therapy.
If she never divorced, she also needs an attorney. Death is expensive in America and she may be responsible for the medical bills as his wife.
This will be hard no matter what.
It might be unspeakable hard.
Help her build the network she will need to get her thru it
If he has any children or relatives at all - contact all of them and let them know he needs some help. You can give that contact info to the hosp and dr, as well. If hospital happens to call her/her sister when time for discharge, you tell them to call other family members because he has no residence with her.
Since the OP has not returned, I think we need to stop posting to this thread.