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...
There's a difference between non-Christian and anti-Christian.
Please don't copy and paste his anti-Christian posts. We're all capable of reading his anti-Christian posts for ourselves. We don't need a repeat.
So would I!
Me too! As a matter of fact, he reminds me a bit of my own son. He has always stood up to injustice, regardless of the cost. And sometimes it costs him dearly. I am so proud of him.
I'm happy to see that Joshua's letter touched others as it touched me. I realize it didn't touch everyone, but that was to be expected. Some people's hearts are just untouchable.
I find it amazing that in St. Pete, a child could be arrested for trying to bring water to a woman dying of thirst, but in New Orleans violent looters weren't being arrested. I'm surprised they haven't arrested the Coast Guard and others for dropping water to people trapped in flooded houses. After all, wasn't it their choice?
You should be and God bless you for raising such a great young man.
Between Joshua and your son, plus I am sure many others out there, maybe there is hope for this old world after all!
There sure is. Just take a look at our young men and women in the military.
Me too.....God Bless this little boy.
what a shame community service? sick judge.
A LOT of sickos involved in Terri's death. I know it is wrong to pray for something bad to happen to certain people but, how about praying for the opportunity to be present when they face God and their judgment?
To some, anything done based on ones belief or morality is viewed as wrong. That kid has more brains and morality then every SOB responsible in the starvation of Terri. From the cops who cuffed the little kids and elderly, to the SOB judges who didnt wanna listen.
Chief Justice Renquist is dead. Now what?
8mm
Sad and disgusting that showing compassion for a disabled person is considered a crime, something for which one has to apologize.
That remains to be seen. Prayer will help.
He was ordered to write a letter of apology? It sounds to me like he took the oppotunity to stick his finger in their mind's eye.
I think you have to be twisted to be a Judge in Pinellas County. They have a vetting process.
It was a bold move to nominate Roberts for Chief Justice. I hope he makes a fine Chief Justice. FV
Roberts for Chief Justice is what. Now he'll get a good grilling but Prez Bush actually did something showing guts and leadership. He'd not been showing leadership lately, just lame speeches. That was bold to nominate Roberts.
I'll join the Hillsborough GOP instead through the primaries. The Pinellas GOP is part of a culture of death through the courts. They can't stand the truth.
After being in the Hillsborough GOP thru the primaries, I'm parting ways and will be an indy.
"That was bold to nominate Roberts."
Here's hoping the President finds a good conservative for the next nomination. Sometimes people hide their true colors until they get to be judges. Terri supporters have seen how judges can twist the law to suit themselves.
Their loss!
I am re-registering Independent also - the Republican Party I supported no longer exists - it has gone the same way as the Democrats.
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