Terri Schiavo’s Father Pleads With Eluana Englaro’s Father to Spare Her Life
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 9, 2009
Rome, Italy (LifeNews.com) — Bob Schindler understands the pain of a father who saw his daughter change from a woman full of life to a seemingly lifeless person plagued by the effects of a severe medical condition. Although it may seem hopeless, Schindler urged the father of Eluana Englaro not to give up on his daughter’s recovery.
The plea came in the form of a letter Schindler has written to Beppino Englaro, that LifeNews.com obtained, asking him to not subject his daughter to the same kind of death Terri faced.
"Although we come from two different continents with different cultures, we do have many things in common. We both are fathers and we both have been gifted by the same God with children," Schindler writes Mr. Englaro.
"We both have a child that suffered severe brain injuries. I know very well the profound effect this type of injury can have on our loved one and their families. We both have experienced the same misfortune and hardships," he added.
Like Englaro, Terri Schiavo was unable to make her own medical decisions.
Unlike the Italian woman who is at the center of the latest euthanasia debate, Terri’s family wanted to provide her the best care possible and fought her former husband’s decision to kill her by depriving her of food and water.
"We do differ," Schindler explained. "Your daughter is alive and mine is not. You have control of Eluana’s future. I did not have any input regarding Terri."
"From the time my daughter Terri suffered her brain trauma, I made a commitment to her to get her proper treatment. I failed. I unsuccessfully fought the courts and her husband to have input in her treatment and to bring her home. That didn’t happen and today I grieve my failure because it resulted in her death," Schindler added.
Terri’s father explained that his daughter underwent a horribly painful death and he asked Englaro not to subject Eluana to the same fate.
"My family and I grieve the loss of Terri. I particularly grieve the method in which she was put to death. She died of starvation and dehydration," Schindler said.
"This type of death is cruel and barbaric. Advocates of euthanasia will tell you to starve and dehydrate a brain injured individual is painless. As a witness to this type of execution I can say this is not true. It is by far the most painful death a person can experience. That is why this is always done in strict privacy void of any witnesses or cameras," he added.
Schindler continued, "If you intend to do this to your daughter, I suggest you prepare yourself for her suffering. She will be reduced to skin and bones. Her eyes will bulge out of their sockets. Her teeth will protrude abnormally and her cheekbones will be enlarged. Need I tell you more. She will suffer beyond belief."
Ultimately, Schindler pleaded with Beppino to consider his and his daughter’s religious beliefs.
"God gave you and I the responsibility to instill morals in our children and to keep them out of harm’s way. To starve and dehydrate your daughter is far from God’s wishes." he said.
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