Posted on 09/01/2005 9:51:24 AM PDT by NYer
TAMPA BAY, August 31, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Ten year-old Joshua Heldreth, the eldest of eight children, was arrested on Good Friday of this year for trespassing while attempting to bring a drink of water to Miss Terri Schaivo. Days later Schiavo died of intentional dehydration. In court Joshua pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 hours of community service and ordered to write an apology for his actions.
The boy whose arrest photo was splashed on front pages of newspapers across the nation wrote in his apology letter, "I was arrested on Good Friday for trespassing on the hospice center's property . . . Not giving Mrs. Shiavo (sic) food or water was wrong. The reason I had to go on your property was because Jesus would do the same thing. It made me sad that she was so thirsty and it made Jesus sad too. I knew she would die without water and I am called by Jesus to be a defender of the defenceless. So I had to go on your property to try to bring her a drink."
Joshua added, "I am sorry that you didn't like that and wouldn't allow me to help save her life and one day you will have to tell God why. I won't be able to help you then like I tried to help her. I will pray for you every day . . ."
LifeSiteNews.com caught up with Joshua's father Scott Heldreth today. Scott told LifeSiteNews.com he is very proud of his son. "My son has amazed me through this whole thing," said Heldreth. The proud father said it was his son's own initiative to attempt to give the starving woman a glass of water, and despite the warning of his parents that he'd be arrested, the boy insisted. "He was the one who begged us to go down, because he wanted to give her a glass of water . . . We explained that police will never let you help . . . you'll be arrested, but he went anyways."
Pro-life leader Rev. Flip Benham of Operation Save America told LifeSiteNews.com that the whole pro-life movement shares Heldreth's pride in his son. Benham recalls the reaction of Heldreth on Good Friday as he watched his son being arrested: "When that all took place Scott was weeping, this father was weeping tears of joy seeing his son not only talk the Christian talk but walk the walk."
While the apology letter has been submitted, Heldreth told LifeSiteNews.com he's not completely sure it will be accepted.
See Joshua's full handwritten apology letter here:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/JoshuaApolog...
What a disgusting spectacle. May God keep me far away from Florida.
What can I say? That young man knows what's what!
Good apology. If most 10 year olds expressed themselves that lucidly, this country would be better off.
Why would Satan accept this apology?
"Good apology. If most 10 year olds expressed themselves that lucidly, this country would be better off."
Forget 10 year olds...how about 50 year olds...:)
He writes a very eloquent (and slightly vindictive) letter of apology for a kid his age. His faith is quite impressive too. May he do many good things in his lifetime.
Matthew 21:16 and said to Him, "Do You hear what these {children} are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, 'OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF'?"
That is one brave little boy, standing up to pure evil.
An admirable young man.
Unbelievable!
This kid wasn't used, he asked to go...
Christ will use homever he chooses. His parents didn't force him, as you read it...it was this brave young boy's choice.
On the other hand...he could have stayed home watching MTV and playing Grand Theft Auto like most 10 year olds in America while his parents get ready to go party on "Good" Friday night.
Thanks for the ping!
If they really wanted to slug this thing out, I think they'd have grounds on the basis that a court cannot force a person to apologize for something. To do so is to force a person to admit guilt; something anathema to our justice system.
In essence, he tells the judge 'You're out of order! You're out of order! The whole trial is out of order!'
And we actually think that God's judgement won't rain down on us? Next time it might be fire and brimstone.
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