A will is something a lot of people think about now and then, but the time when you need it always seems so far in the future.

Larry was diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal cancer last year, and naturally, his first thoughts were of his family.

How would things look for them in the future? He wanted to take care of them and sort out potential issues.

One immediate thought crossed his mind: He needed a will.

Another issue: His wife is not his daughter’s biological mother, but he wanted her to be able to take care of her without any obstacles. He wanted to make sure his wife could adopt his daughter.

“I’m not feeling so well as far as going to work,” Larry says. “So, financially, I had to take leave. I don’t get paid for that.”

With all this in mind, he wasn’t quite sure how to get started. But Larry knew his daughter’s school is one of the locations where Legal Aid of WV’s Lawyer in the School program has a regular presence. He looked up the program information and reached out to see if he could get some guidance.

When the Lawyer in the School attorney heard Larry’s case, she thought he would be a perfect candidate for help through the Pro Bono Program, where attorneys volunteer their time to help clients.

Jenna Fonner and Angela Beblo, two attorneys with the firm Jackson Kelly, took on Larry’s case.

Jenna helped Larry and his wife quickly begin the adoption process for his daughter, and Angela worked with them on creating a will. Within a couple of months, Larry had a new will, and his wife had successfully adopted their daughter.

“They were very good, and very helpful every step of the way. They did an excellent job,” says Larry. “It was a huge relief. And financially, it was a tremendous help for us. The expedience they did things with was a great help. We just want to say thank you.”