Temporary Guardianship Awarded to an Injured Marine’s Mother

Marine John Graziano was severely injured in a car accident with his friend, Nick Bollea, at the wheel and is now fully incapacitated. Nick is the 17 year old son of a renowned wrestler Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan. After a hearing on October 10, 2007, Judge Lauren Laughlin awarded temporary guardianship of a critically injured Marine to his mother, Debra Graziano. As his temporary guardian, Debra will make decisions about medical care and veterans benefits of her son, who served in Iraq.

John’s father, and Debra Graziano’s estranged husband, Edward Graziano, unsuccessfully tried to appoint an independent guardian for his son. Edward Graziano’s recently retained attorney, Steven Hearn, was granted a continuance to have more time to prepare his case. During that time Hearn plans to investigate Edward Graziano’s concerns that his estranged wife is receiving financial support from the Bollea family. It is not clear whether John Graziano has a will and power of attorney, as is typical for the service members who are deployed overseas.

See Carlos Moncada, Mother of Injured Marine Named Interim Guardian, TBO.com, Oct. 11, 2007.