The foundation run by the family of Terri Schiavo has put out a statement responding to the death of assisted suicide crusader Jack Kevorkian.
The foundation says, “Today marks the end of Jack Kevorkian’s reign of terror over vulnerable and needy patients. For decades Jack Kevorkian spent his life advocating for assisted suicide, helping dozens of mostly non-terminal persons kill themselves.”
Bobby Schindler, Terri’s brother and the Terri Schiavo’s Life and Hope Network’s Executive Director, said, “It was clear that this man had a dysfunctional obsession and infatuation with death and that his true involvement in these deaths was never properly reported.”
In an October 2010 MSNBC interview with Jack Kevorkian, he was asked to weigh in on Terri Schiavo’s two-week court ordered dehydration death. Dr. Kervorkian stated that Terri would have qualified for his assisted suicide service. Kevorkian further explained, “[She] could qualify because the husband was next of kin, legally. And that’s all that counts because you can’t have interference by family members who might be antagonistic or hostile.”
“This statement only further exposes how the influences in society and the media used the torturous death of my sister, Terri Schiavo, to validate the ‘Right to Die’ mentality and Kevorkian’s lust for the death of others, which drove his agenda,” Schindler explained.
Contrary to this mentality, Terri Schiavo’s Life and Hope Network aggressively advocates for vulnerable persons, the disabled, and those who are dying, Suzanne Schindler Vitadamo, Terri Schiavo’s sister, said.
“History will surely judge Kervokian as a very dark figure. We are very encouraged that today we see a greater awareness that every life deserves dignity and protection,” she said. “While Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network denounces all of his work, we do recognize that every life is precious and therefore extend our prayers and condolences to the family of Jack Kevorkian.”
“We understand from reports that Dr. Kervokian passed in an environment that was neither “antagonistic” or “hostile.” Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of his victim patients,” she concluded.
