Terri Schiavo Vividly Interacts With Family Friend, Still Responsive

Bioethics   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Mar 28, 2005   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Terri Schiavo Vividly Interacts With Family Friend, Still Responsive Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 28
, 2005

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Terri Schiavo surprised her family on Sunday when she vividly interacted with a family friend who came to visit her along with her parents. Paul O’Donnell, a Franciscan monk who has been helping the Schindler family since Terri’s feeding tube was removed, called it "something extraordinary ."

Terri’s father, Bob Schindler, and an old friend named Sherry, visited Terri and Sherry shared stories with Terri about their days partying and dancing together.

"Terri Schiavo raised her hands up and was moving and started making guttural sounds like she does when she talks to her mother," O’Donnell said. "Everyone is willing to write this woman’s obituary except one person, and that’s Terri Schiavo herself."

Terri’s family has said before that Terri loved to dance.

The interaction came despite the fact Terri has been deprived of food and water for ten days since her estranged husband Michael was allowed to remove her feeding tube.

According to an Associated Press report, O’Donnell also told reporters that Terri’s mother, Mary Schindler, did not visit her daughter on Sunday. He described her as grief-stricken and that a visit would have been too emotionally overwhelming.

"This is a mother’s worst nightmare," he said.

O’Donnell said the Schindlers are "dealing with reality" that their daughter will likely die, but they enjoy the fact that she still interacts with family and friends.

Gary McCullough, also speaking for the Schindler family, said he hopes supporters of Terri’s right to live will continue to stay outside the hospice as long as she remains alive.

"We want people to continue to be here with Terri, and with us," he said.

Related news stories:

Terri Schiavo’s Parents’ Last Motion on Terri Saying "I Want to Live"

Terri Schiavo Case Reveals How We Treated Disabled Americans

Neurologists: Terri Schiavo Not in Persistent Vegetative State

Terri Schiavo’s Hospice Nurses Want Her to Die, Dissenter Fired

Media Slanting News Against Terri Schiavo, Report Says

Related web sites:
Terri Schiavo’s parents – https://www.terrisfight.org