The Last Hours of Casey Kasem

Last night, I watched Autopsy: The Last Hours of Casey Kasem. I had read the articles, seen the press videos (like when Jean threw meat at Kerri...yes, meat!) and followed Kerry Kasem on Twitter as everything unfolded in 2014. Watching this show just broke my heart.

I can somewhat relate to Kerri Kasem. I lost my dad almost 12 years ago to cancer. There was no elder abuse involved with my dad. My mom, siblings and I all had to make the horrible decision to remove him from life support and because he wasn't able to breathe on his own, he passed on.  Losing a parent is horribly painful. I think of my dad every single day and wish he was still here.

While watching this show on Casey Kasem, it made me sick to think that he went through so much abuse in the months before his death. I grew up with Casey Kasem's American Top 40 and his voice as Shaggy. I never met him in person, but I admired him for making his life what he wanted it to be. He worked hard through his life and he deserved to live out the rest of his life in peace with his family.

Instead, Casey was treated like a prisoner, not allowed to see his own kids, his brother and his friends. His wife, Jean Kasem, took his care into her own hands and, not having the proper equipment or experience to care for him, she caused him to be in immense pain and his life to be shortened. She caused Casey to die and then she moved his body, buried him in an unmarked grave in Norway so his older kids cannot find him and an autopsy cannot be performed. Why would she feel the need to hide his body if she didn't think she did anything wrong? Hmmm...

On June 15, 2014, Casey Kasem passed away. Thankfully, his kids - Kerri, Julie and Mike - were by his side. As sad as it was for him to pass on, they got to be by his side.

Sadly, the elder abuse case against Jean Kasem was dismissed because there was insufficient evidence. There is a civil case against Jean Kasem still pending.

I can only imagine how horrible this nightmare has been for Casey's older children. Losing a parent is not easy, but knowing your father is not getting proper care, is being hidden from you and basically held captive is just awful. I wish the courts could have done more to help Kerri Kasem and her family. I would like to see the court force Jean to return his body to Kerri Kasem so an autopsy can be done and Casey can be buried where he truly wanted to rest. I hope someday the family can find peace and Casey can rest in peace.

You should watch the show if you ever get a chance. It's sad, but very informative. You can also check out this article, which details the last weeks of his life.

Want to learn more about how you can help in the fight against elder care? Check out Kasem Cares.