AFA of PA ACTION ALERT
March 31, 2021
Issue
Do You Remember Who Died Sixteen Years Ago on This Day?
Details
Sixteen years ago today Terri Schiavo, a native of Bucks County, died because a judge ordered that all food and water be withheld from her! This is one of the most painful ways to die and a United States judge handed down that death sentence!!
Many questions still surround the Schiavo case. The hospital admittance records from February 1990 show evidence of trauma to Terry Schiavo’s neck, but no criminal investigation was ever conducted even though the police report taken by the St. Petersburg, Florida Police Department indicated the incident should be routed to the homicide division. What we do know is that on the morning of February 25, 1990 police were summoned to the Schiavo home and the only two present were the unconscious Terry Schiavo and her husband Michael Schiavo, who according to family members and friends had a pattern of domestic abuse, possessiveness and jealousy.
Medical and forensic experts ran many tests and concluded there was no evidence of a heart attack nor of cardiac arrest from a potassium imbalance due to an eating disorder as some had alleged. She was diagnosed with hypoxic encephalopathy – neurological injury caused by lack of oxygen to the brain. She was placed on a ventilator, but was soon able to breathe on her own and maintain vital function. She was provided a PEG tube to ensure the safe delivery of nourishment and hydration.
Terri was placed in hospice where she was cared for. At a jury trial in 1993 in a medical malpractice claim, Schiavo testified he would take care of his wife for the rest of his life and as a result of his testimony, over $1 million was awarded to him with $750,000 earmarked for Terri’s therapy and rehabilitation. However, as soon as he received the money, he ordered that all rehabilitation for Terri be stopped. He then petitioned the court for an order to end her life and in January, 2000, for the first time, suddenly remembered that she had allegedly made a comment some 15 years prior in 1984 while watching a movie that she would not want to be kept alive by artificial means.
A court battle ensued with her husband saying she would never recover and she should be allowed to die. Her family said ‘no,’ she was not in a persistent vegetative state, but showed some response to their presence and actions towards her. On March 18, 2005 Terri’s feeding tube was removed by court order and the morning of March 31, 2005 Terri died.
Pinellas Circuit Court Judge George W. Greer, who ordered Terri’s feeding tube be removed, was honored by The ACLU in December of that year. It should also be noted here that Michael Schiavo’s attorney George Felos was an assisted suicide advocate who once appointed an “impartial” doctor to assess Terri’s condition. That doctor, Ronald Cranford, testified that he had no doubt she was in a persistent vegetative state. However, that diagnosis was disputed by Dr. William Hammesfahr who had spent about 10 hours across three months with Terri and noted she was very aware of her surroundings. Turns out Dr. Cranford was a member of the board of directors of the Choice in Dying Society, which promoted doctor-assisted suicide and euthanasia — not exactly “impartial”!
Action Steps
This reminder of the Terri Schiavo story shows how very important the issue of life is. With the Democrats now in control of the House, Senate and White House, the issue of life is still very important with the Democrats determined to undermine all that the past administration did. They plan to fund Planned Parenthood with our tax dollars; repeal the Hyde Amendment; codify the “right to reproductive freedom”; force insurance companies to cover the cost of gender transition. Much more can be found here
The story of Terri Schiavo gripped the nation back in 2005. Let’s never forget what happened to an innocent woman that year. How many more Terri Schiavo’s have there been in the US since then?
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