Both Brad and his sister Michelle attended private schools for children with learning disabilities. The extent of the disabilities -- for Brad in particular -- would have a major impact on the trustees' rulings regarding his inheirtance. At various points in his life, Brad was described by his father as having Down syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome. After he received a certificate in culinary preparation from Cape Cod Community College, Brad worked several jobs, including at a restaurant bussing tables, in the mailroom of an insurance company, making smoothies at a juice bar and working the counter at a UPS store, which he also owned. In 2003, Brad moved from Orange County to just outside Phoenix, next door to his father, Bill, and stepmother Sherry, whom Bill married in 1999, six years after Sharon died and about 20 years after they divorced. Sometime later, trustees came to believe that Sherry began to look into adopting Brad.