The heirs of Henry Ford II have a secret celebrity supporter in their battle to force an allegedly abusive caregiver to give up control of their mother’s life — “Real Housewives of New York City” star Luann de Lesseps.
Page Six first reported that Deborah DuRoss Guibord and Kimberly DuRoss had lost their legal battle to take back control of Kathleen DuRoss Ford’s affairs from Frank Chopin, her companion and caregiver. The family claimed that Chopin stopped allowing them to see her. (Chopin vehemently denied to Page Six that he abused Kathleen or that prevented them from seeing her.)
Now de Lesseps — a regular in Palm Beach, Fla., where Kathleen’s family is based — has weighed in. The Bravo star and cabaret singer told Page Six, “I’ve known the family for years and visited [Kathleen at her home] many times, and her children are very dear to me. I’m heartbroken upon hearing the news that they cannot see their ailing mother.”
Last week, we reported that a Palm Beach judge refused the sisters’ plea to have their mother’s power of attorney transferred from Chopin to one of the sisters. De Lesseps said she believes the “judicial system has failed” and called the situation “essentially a case of elder abuse.”
Chopin told us that — far from having abused Kathleen — the judge ruled she’d likely have died by now had it not been for the excellent care he had provided. He claimed to us that the family had rarely wanted to see Kathleen “unless they wanted something.” The family denies that claim.
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