Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Charlie Gard’s Parents on His Final Moments: “He Opened His Eyes and Looked at Us and Then Closed...
Life News ^ | August 7, 2017 | Micaiah Bilger

Posted on 08/10/2017 9:42:05 AM PDT by Morgana

FULL TITLE: Charlie Gard’s Parents on His Final Moments: “He Opened His Eyes and Looked at Us and Then Closed Them”

For the first time, Charlie Gard’s parents shared details this week about their last moments with their son before he died.

The British infant died on July 28 after his life support was removed, following a lengthy court battle between his parents and hospital. He would have turned 1 year old on Aug. 4.

His mother, Connie Yates, said Charlie opened his eyes in the last few minutes of his life and looked at her and Chris Gard, his father, before he died, according to the Inquisitor.

“Charlie opened his eyes and looked at us one last time and closed them before he passed away,” Yates said. “We were warned it might take five or six minutes. But it took 12 until his heart stopped beating.”

His father said Charlie kept fighting for his life all the way up until he died.

“It was typical of our little fighter, our warrior, to keep fighting until the very end,” Gard said.

Here’s more from the report:

Some family members had remained at the hospital for months, rarely leaving the boy’s side. After his death, Connie reached out to the many supporters to let them know of Charlie’s passing.

Click here to sign up for pro-life news alerts from LifeNews.com

[Pro-life advocate] Patrick Mahoney, a preacher from the United States who traveled to London to be with the family, was among those who received word immediately after Charlie died.

“I do know that he passed very quickly. I was heartbroken because I know how much they loved Charlie,” Mahoney said (via the Sun). “I cried for Connie and Chris for their heroic fight and for their son.”

The family said Charlie will be buried with his favorite stuffed animals, and the money raised for his medical care will be used to start a charity to help other children with rare diseases.

Charlie suffered from a rare mitochondrial disease and brain damage. He was at the center of a massive international debate after the hospital refused to allow an experimental treatment to help him and also refused to transfer him to another hospital that would allow the treatment.

His parents fought persistently to take Charlie to the United States for an experimental treatment. Yates and Gard said they knew the chance of the experimental treatment working was slim – about 10 percent, but they wanted to try anyway for Charlie’s sake.

However, the courts and hospital refused to allow them to transfer their son to another hospital. About a month ago, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the hospital can remove Charlie’s life support and allow him to die.

Questions remain about whether Charlie could have benefited from the experimental treatment, had it not been delayed for months during the legal battle. The court battle began in March.

U.S. neurologist Dr. Michio Hirano, an expert in the field, previously said Charlie had an 11 percent to 56 percent chance of benefiting from the experimental treatment. However, when Hirano and a group of doctors examined Charlie in late July, they said he no longer had a chance of benefiting from the treatment.

After Hirano gave his final opinion, Charlie’s parents decided to end the legal battle to get their son experimental treatment. Based on the new evidence, the couple said Charlie’s condition had deteriorated too much and there no longer was any hope of the experimental treatment working.

Last weekend, the news broke that Charlie had died after his life support was removed. Leading pro-life advocates mourned Charlie’s death — saying it is a very concerning harbinger of things to come.

After Charlie’s death, his parents spent the weekend mourning with their family planning their son’s funeral, according to The Sun.

“We should be planning Charlie’s first birthday but instead we’re planning his funeral,” his mother said.

Despite all of his problems, Charlie’s parents – and millions like them – believe that Charlie is a valuable, living human being who should be given a chance to live.

Leading pro-life advocates helped Charlie’s parents fight for his life. Pope Francis and President Donald Trump also expressed support for the sick infant.

Charlie’s parents brought Terri Schiavo’s brother Bobby Schindler to London to help them fight for care for their son. Schindler spoke with LifeNews exclusively about their invitation.

Schindler told LifeNews: “The critical issue here is not a political one, but the simple notion that families know what is best for their loved ones.”


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: bobbyschindler; charliegard; eufail; familyknowsbest; prolife; socializeddeath; sweetbaby; terrislist

1 posted on 08/10/2017 9:42:05 AM PDT by Morgana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Morgana

So sad.


2 posted on 08/10/2017 9:44:27 AM PDT by beethovenfan (I always try to maximize my carbon footprint.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Couldn’t get past any lines after ‘he opened his eyes and looked at his parents, then closed them.’

Too tough to read, and I am fairly tough emotionally too.

As for the UK government choosing innocent’s life to take, shame on you all. There is a special place in Hell for you and those who damage innocence through murder and exploitation.


3 posted on 08/10/2017 9:47:54 AM PDT by InsidiousMongo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: InsidiousMongo; BykrBayb; little jeremiah

This whole thing has had me sad is why I’ve been offline for a while. Needed time.

Rest assured am in no ways done heaping contempt on the people who did this to Charlie.


4 posted on 08/10/2017 9:51:39 AM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

My heart is broken!!! Evil, Satan and Big Brother have won. But.....Charlie is in the ever loving, gracious, adoring hands of his Father in Heaven, God Almighty and his blessed son, Jesus Christ, forever. God bless Pope, Francis & POTUS, Donald J. Trump.


5 posted on 08/10/2017 9:52:11 AM PDT by JLAGRAYFOX (Defeat both the Republican (e) & Democrat (e) political parties....Forever!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JLAGRAYFOX

There is no way anyone but his parents can describe how their heart was broken at the moment of his death. Too bad it wasn’t some off spring of someone in the “parliament”, so they too might realize how devastating the loss of that little child was.


6 posted on 08/10/2017 9:58:32 AM PDT by DaveA37
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

Blessings of God maketh Rich and addeth no sorrows, gift from the Lord


7 posted on 08/10/2017 9:59:10 AM PDT by easternsky
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

God Bless Charlie Gard and his parents.


8 posted on 08/10/2017 10:20:42 AM PDT by onedoug
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

Such human emotion is not a significant factor in death-panel deliberations.


9 posted on 08/10/2017 10:25:29 AM PDT by glennaro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

Our prays.


10 posted on 08/10/2017 10:40:49 AM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but socialists' ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

I understand completely. I just sent you a FReepmail, that somehow turned into a rant. I should probably post it publicly, for the benefit of those who still don’t get it.


11 posted on 08/10/2017 11:03:04 AM PDT by BykrBayb (Lung cancer free since 11/9/07. Colon cancer free since 7/7/15. Obama free since 1/20/17. PTL ~ Þ)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Morgana; Ohioan from Florida; 8mmMauser; BykrBayb; T'wit; wagglebee; little jeremiah; Alamo-Girl; ..
I hope to have a chance this afternoon or evening to post some links to Charlie Gard discussions. I'll try to combine into one ping if there are many.

Terri's List
White Rose Ping

To be added or removed, please FReepmail
BykrBayb or Little Jeremiah

12 posted on 08/10/2017 11:07:52 AM PDT by BykrBayb (Lung cancer free since 11/9/07. Colon cancer free since 7/7/15. Obama free since 1/20/17. PTL ~ Þ)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

So sad. Any decent person with basic human compassion would be deeply disturbed by what was done to Charlie and his parents.

Maybe that’s why liberal progressives are so ecstatic that he’s dead.


13 posted on 08/10/2017 11:11:03 AM PDT by TBP (0bama lies, Granny dies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BykrBayb

Thank you, Morgana and BykrBayb. I’ve been overwhelmed with guests and other stuff, no time to post or even barely read. Thank you for all this. I will have some time in a couple of days I hope.


14 posted on 08/10/2017 12:30:02 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Half the truth is often a great lie. B. Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Morgana
Questions remain about whether Charlie could have benefited from the experimental treatment, had it not been delayed for months during the legal battle.

That's really irrelevant. Experimental treatments are experimental for a reason - we don't know how to do much about certain diseases/conditions. Even if there was only a 1% chance of success, having a case where you can try is what means the next kid gets a 5% chance. And then a 10% chance. And so on until you have a basic treatment that works 99% of the time.
15 posted on 08/10/2017 2:07:04 PM PDT by Svartalfiar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BykrBayb

I think God allowed Charlie to connect with his parents.


16 posted on 08/10/2017 9:34:59 PM PDT by Sun (Pray that God sends us good leaders. Please say a prayer now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: BykrBayb

Thanks for the ping. Terribly sad.


17 posted on 08/23/2017 1:54:00 PM PDT by Dante3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Dante3

Yes, it is. I can’t imagine the grief his parents are faced with. This is a tragedy for all mankind.


18 posted on 08/23/2017 7:01:08 PM PDT by BykrBayb (Lung cancer free since 11/9/07. Colon cancer free since 7/7/15. Obama free since 1/20/17. PTL ~ Þ)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson