Terri Schiavo’s Painful Euthanasia Death Began One Year Ago Today 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 18, 2006
Clearwater, FL (LifeNews.com) — Terri Schiavo’s painful 13 day-long euthanasia death began one year ago today. After spending several years fighting to protect their daughter’s right to live, Terri’s parents were told to leave, unable to be with their daughter as her estranged husband began the process that killed her.
Only Michael Schiavo was present when doctors removed the feeding tube.
"Please, please, please save my little girl," a tearful Mary Schindler told a news conference.
Michael refused and instead took his case to the media. "I am 100 percent sure," that killing Terri is the right thing to do, he told NBC’s "Today" program.
In what the Schindler family considered a further slap in the face, final word of the feeding tube removal reached some reporters when the brother of Michael’s live-in girlfriend stepped out of their house and disclosed what had happened.
Cheryl Ford, a nurse and spokeswoman for the Schindler Foundation at the time, who has written a new book called Our Fight for Terri, said Michael also held a private religious service for Terri. He refused to allow the Schindler family to attend.
"Terri’s parents were asked to leave their daughter’s room," she said.
The removal of the feeding tube was also surrounded with controversy. Staff at Woodside Hospice, where Terri lived, insisted that Terri’s personal doctor do it.
Terri last received any food or water at 11 a.m. that morning and died 13 days later.
Like Terri’s parents, family and supporters, Ford was upset that Terri was treated so inhumanely during the euthanasia death.
"There was no reason to pull her tube and put her through pain and discomfort," Ford concluded. "They could have capped her feeding tube off and prevented the pain she experienced from having a feeding tune pulled from her abdomen."
President Bush phoned his brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and told him he supported his efforts to prevent her death and Congressional condemned what happened and tied to stop it.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Congress was "dedicated to saving Terri Schiavo’s life."
But Circuit Court Judge George Greer, who authorized Terri’s euthanasia death, wouldn’t back down, even in the face of Congressional subpoenas attempting to stop him.
"I have had no cogent reason why the (Congressional) committee should intervene," Greer said.
Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council said it was a "sad day for our country" to starve a woman to death. For the Schindler family, there is still sadness.
Related web sites:
Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation – https://www.TerrisFight.org
