Terri Schiavo’s Father Makes Heartfelt Appeal to Stop Starvation

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

Terri Schiavo’s Father Makes Heartfelt Appeal to Stop Starvation Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 28, 2005

Pinellas Park, FL (LifeNews.com) — Terri Schiavo’s father Bob Schindler made a heartfelt 11th hour appeal to save his daughter from a painful starvation death that is slowly claiming her life. Schindler said Terri is showing a strong resolve to live, even though her medical condition is deteriorating.

"I was scared to death to go in there to see her," Bob Schindler told reporters outside Woodside Hospice on Monday. "I plead again with the powers that be, don’t give up on her. We haven’t given up on her and she hasn’t given up on us."

He pressed for President George W. Bush and Governor Jeb Bush to intervene to spare his daughter’s life. Both have said they strongly support the Schindlers but indicated there are no more legal channels left open to help.

Governor Bush told AP Monday that his legal counsel spoke with the Schindlers over the weekend about the lack of legal remedies available.

"I have not seen any means by which the executive branch can get involved," Governor Bush said. "My heart is broken about this."

According to an Associated Press report, Schindler said he understood Terri was dying but he said she was "fighting like hell to live and she’s begging for help. … She has just incredible strength to live."

"I don’t want to overestimate her condition, because she’s failing, but she’s still with us," Schindler told reporters Monday. "She’s shown such a determination to live. It’s incredible."

"She’s responding very softly and she’s very, very, very weak," Terri’s dad added. "But she’s still showing some facial expressions, and I hug her and I kiss her and she’s reacting to that and she’s trying to talk, but it’s very, very subdued."

Schindler commented on hospice workers giving Terri morphine to help ease the effects of the significant pain she is experiencing because her body’s vital organs are beginning the process of shutting down.

"I’m sure (she is receiving morphine), but she’s still in discomfort," Schindler said. "And I have a grave concern that they will expedite the process to kill her with an overdose of morphine."