GONZALES, La. — The late, former Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards wrote his final wishes in just a few sentences on a sheet of legal paper in 2017, and that handwritten document was filed this week in Ascension Parish as part of the Edwards' succession, according to a report from WBRZ.
Containing fewer than 150 words, the note leaves everything he owns to his 8-year-old son, Eli.
Leo Honeycutt, the governor's biographer told WBRZ he was surprised by the note's brevity.
"He was very verbose when it came to his legal situation and the way that he talked legally, so it's interesting that at the last part of his life that he would write out, basically what looks like, what's that, four paragraphs," Honeycutt told WBRZ.
Despite that, Honeycutt said he was not surprised by its contents.
"He had a very close bond to Eli - very, very close. He loved that child. That child loved him," Honeycutt told WBRZ.
The father and son were separated in age by nearly 86 years, but could not have been closer companions, he said.
"He was so much closer to Eli than he was to his other four kids," Honeycutt said.
Edwards had told Honeycutt, he was so busy when his four older children were growing up that he missed a lot.
"He said, 'You know, with Eli, I actually had the time. I had the time to take,' and it really showed. Eli was always all over him. They just loved to be around each other. It was really wonderful," Honeycutt said.
Edwards has four adult children from his first marriage. He had his son Eli with his third wife Trina Scott Edwards.
In the will, he wrote, "I hope my other children realize that I do not love Eli more, or them less, but realize what I leave him is less than each received in money, property, homes and education..."
Daughter Victoria Edwards has asked the court to award her a fourth of the estate. She said she has a mental illness that hampers her ability to manage her own affairs and that Louisiana's forced heirship laws entitle her to those assets.
Trina Edwards' attorney has asked that the public not be able to get a look at precisely what those assets are, requesting that the document that details cash, property, bank accounts and possessions be filed under seal.