Mom got a special present the Christmas, I think, when she had the first four grandchildren around: Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss, of course. It was the perfect gift, from my sister, who knew how much Mom would enjoy reading to the kids.
Many years have passed and the rascals have grown. I imagine the book ended up in Mary's pre-K collection at St. Mary's. I had forgotten about it until we took our 15 1/2 year old baby to see Seussical the Musical the other night, which blends the two Horton plots with various other Seuss characters and situations in a delightful romp.
Horton is an elephant whose big ears hear what no one else can. He alone knows that on a speck of dust resting on a clover is a tiny world of tiny people just like us. They talk to him, and he promises to save them, no easy task in a world where society only appreciates the life it can witness with its senses.
"A person's a person, no matter how small," proclaims Horton.
In the climax, the society is about to destroy the life Horton knows exists. The Who people are begged to make enough noise so that the big world will recognize them as worthy of protection. Eventually a small boy's voice is heard, and all ends well (giving the Who people an opportunity to return in the Grinch sequel).
Take another look at this fable. In a week when we are outraged at the repugnant cartoon put out by Planned Parenthood Golden Gate which calls for the drowning, decapitating and blowing-up of pro-life supporters, among other things (see The Dawn Patrol for details), here is a gentle reminder of the value of life, even a life we can't (or won't) see.
When you hear the Who people crying out from their cone of silence, remember for a moment Terri Schiavo's parents desperately trying to get her to say, "I want to live."
When you see Horton standing up for what he believes in the face of ridicule, think of all those folks on the front lines trying to save one life at a time.
When you hear the NARAL monsters rage, try to realize that it is your duty, even if you are the only one, to remind the world that
A person's a person, no matter how small.
http://www.blogsforterri.com/archives/2005/03/terri_schiavo_e.php
March 25, 2005
Terri Schiavo Expresses Her Wishes; Attorney and Sister Testify in Court
The following are Terri Schiavo's sister, Suzanne Vitadamo's and Attorney Barbara Weller's sworn testimony submitted to Judge Greer in Pinellas County Court today.
Barbara Weller, Esq., is putting her entire professional reputation as an officer of the court on the line. If she is not telling the truth she would not only be found guilty of perjury, she would sacrifice her career by being disbarred.
DECLARATION OF SUZANNE VITADAMO
STATE OF FLORIDA )
COUNTY OF PINELLAS )
I, SUZANNE VITADAMO, sister of the Petitioner in the above-styled case, hereby declare under penalty of perjury:
I visited with Terri at various times during the day on March 18, 2005, the day her feeding tube was removed.
Terri was in good spirits that morning. My husband, Michael Vitadamo and Terri's aunt, Claudia Tamarro, were in the room with myself and Attorney Barbara Weller when Terri attempted to speak to Mrs. Weller. A female Pinellas Park police office were standing at the door of Terri's room.
Terri was sitting up in her lounge chair and Mrs. Weller and I were sitting on her bed. My aunt was standing at the found of Terri's chair.
Mrs. Weller stood up and learned over Terri. She took her arms in her hands. Mrs. Weller begged Terri to try to say, "I want to live." Terri's eyes opened wide, she looked at Mrs. Weller with great concentration and said, "Ahhhhhhh." Then, with great effort, she screamed, "Waaaaaaaa" so loudly that Michael Vitadamo and the female police officer who were then standing together outside Terri's door, clearly heard her. Terri had a look of anguish on her face and she seemed to be struggling hard, but was she could not complete the sentence. Terri began to cry and Mrs. Weller and I began to stroke Terri's face and hair to comfort her.
Mrs. Weller and I continued to visit and talk with Terri, along with other family members who came and went in the room.
FURTHER YOUR DECLARANT SAYETH NOT.
I hereby declare, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief. Executed this 22nd day of March, 2005, at Seminole, Florida.
SUZANNE VITADAMO
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 25nd day of March, 2005.
DECLARATION OF BARBARA J. WELLER
STATE OF FLORIDA )
COUNTY OF PINELLAS )
I, BARBARA WELLER, Attorney for Respondents in the above-styled case, hereby declare under penalty of perjury:
I visited with Terri at various times during the day on March 18, 2005, the day her feeding tube was removed.
During the morning I was in the room with Terri and various members of her family. Terri was in good spirits that morning. The mood in her room was jovial, particularly around noontime, as we knew Congressional attorneys were on the scene and many were working hard to save Terri's life. For most of that time, I was visiting and talking with Terri along with Terri's sister Suzanne Vitadamo, Suzanne's husband, and Terri's aunt, who was visiting from New York to help provide support for the family. A female Pinellas Park police office was stationed at the door outside Terri's room.
Terri was sitting up in her lounge chair, dressed and looking alert and well. Her feeding tube had been plugged in around 11 a.m. and we all felt good that she was still being fed. Suzanne and I were talking, joking, and laughing with Terri, telling her she was going to go to Washington D.C. to testify before Congress, which meant that finally Terri's husband Michael would be required to fix her wheelchair. After that Suzanne could take Terri to the mall shopping and could wheel her outdoors every day to feel the wind and sunshine on her face, something she has not been able to do for more than five years.
At one point, I noticed Terri's window blinds were pulled down. I went to the window to raise them so Terri could look at the beautiful garden outside her window and see the sun after several days of rain. As sunlight came into the room, Terri's eyes widened and she was obviously very pleased.
Suzanne and I continued to talk and joke with Terri for probably an hour or more. At one point Suzanne called Terri the bionic woman and I heard Terri laugh out loud heartily. She laughed so hard that for the first time I noticed the dimples in her cheeks.
The most dramatic event of this visit happened at one point when I was sitting on Terri's bed next to Suzanne. Terri was sitting in her lounge chair and her aunt was standing at the foot of the chair. I stood up and learned over Terri. I took her arms in both of my hands. I said to her, "Terri if you could only say ‘I want to live' this whole thing could be over today." I begged her to try very hard to say, "I want to live." To my enormous shock and surprise, Terri's eyes opened wide, she looked me square in the face, and with a look of great concentration, she said, "Ahhhhhhh." Then, seeming to summon up all the strength she had, she virtually screamed, "Waaaaaaaa." She yelled so loudly that Michael Vitadamo, Suzanne's husband, and the female police officer who were then standing together outside Terri's door, clearly heard her. At that point, Terri had a look of anguish on her face that I had never seen before and she seemed to be struggling hard, but was unable to complete the sentence. She became very frustrated and began to cry. I was horrified that I was obviously causing Terri so much anguish. Suzanne and I began to stroke Terri's face and hair to comfort her. I told Terri I was very sorry. It had not been my intention to upset her so much. Suzanne and I assured Terri that her efforts were much appreciated and that she did not need to try to say anything more. I promised Terri I would tell the world that she had tried to say, "I want to live."
Suzanne and I continued to visit and talk with Terri, along with other family members who came and went in the room, until about 2:00 p.m. when we were all told to leave after Judge Greer denied yet another motion for stay and ordered the removal of the feeding tube to proceed. As we left the room, the female police officer outside the door was valiantly attempting to keep from crying.
About four in the afternoon, several hours after the feeding tube was removed, I returned to Terri's room. By that time she was alone except for a male police officer now standing inside the door. When I entered the room and began to speak to her, Terri started to cry and tried to speak to me immediately. It was one of the most helpless feelings I have ever had. Terri was looking very melancholy at that point and I had the sense she was very upset that we had told her things were going to get better, but instead, they were obviously getting worse. I had previously had the same feeling when my own daughter was a baby who was hospitalized and was crying and looking to me to rescue her from her hospital crib, something I could not do. While I was in the room with Terri for the next half hour or so, several other friends came to visit and I did a few press interviews sitting right next to Terri. I again raised her window shade, which had again been pulled down, so Terri could at least see the garden and the sunshine from her lounge chair. I also turned the radio on in her room before I left so that when she was alone, she would at least have some music for comfort.
Just before I left the room, I leaned over Terri and spoke right into her ear. I told her I was very sorry I had not been able to stop the feeding tube from being taken out and I was very sorry I had to leave her alone. But I reminded her that Jesus would stay right by her side even when no one else was there with her. When I mentioned Jesus' Name, Terri again laughed out loud. She became very agitated and began loudly trying to speak to me again. As Terri continued to laugh and try to speak, I quietly prayed in her ear, kissed her, placed her in Jesus' care, and left the room.
FURTHER YOUR DECLARANT SAYETH NOT.
I hereby declare, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief. Executed this 22nd day of March, 2005, at Seminole, Florida.
BARBARA J. WELLER
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 25nd day of March, 2005.
Posted by tim at March 25, 2005 11:04 PM
