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...
A great boy. The parents should be very proud.
...still believe Terry was murdered....
Dear Josh, you have NOTHING to be sorry for! Sweety, you did the Christian and Humanitarian thing by attempting to help a human being in need.
I am sorry that in your young life you had to think about things so heavy in nature, rather than playing ball, being with your friends, and being a kid.
The fact that you took the time to help someone out of the goodness in your heart speaks volumes about your character.
Most kids your age could have cared less about the situation, and even my sons - who are teenagers - did not get as deeply involved as you.
You are a wonderful young man, a gift from God, with truly much potential to help this world.
You are destined for greatness, and I wish you had not felt the need to apologize. It is a great gesture to apologize , and the way in which you did it - stressing this act was something Jesus would have done - shows how deeply you care in your heart, and you will truly be blessed for bringing Jesus' name into the courthouse.
Joshua, I hold you up to Jesus, and please know He will never leave you. If I were close to you, I would hold you tight, and pray with you, for the good you tried to do.
It is the court system that should apologize to you - you did the RIGHT thing - they did not.
God Bless you, Joshua. And do not ever stop standing up for what you believe in. You are right, Jesus would have done the same thing, without fear of the police, and He would have pointed out that THEY were wrong, just as He did in the scriptures when He talked to those who had Him put to death. Do not ever lose your Faith.
It is young people like you who will one day lead this world, and I pray there are many more out there like you.
May God always keep you strong, Just Kimberly
Dear FReepers - I pray all of us Conservative Christian Republicans are raising amazing children like this. As I said, my own sons did not get heavily involved with Terri's case - I suppose because we are so far away and they are kids - living their own life.
Let us all learn from this young man, and strive to turn out the entire generation JUST LIKE HIM. JK
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."
The father said that it was the son's own idea. I guess he raised him right.
And since I'm here, the son didn't actually apologize at all. He said he was sorry that they didn't like what he did. Good kid. Good family.
on most issues it is.....as is my own crappy blue state.
If you're asking if he got his values from his parents, which contributed to his actions, of course he did.
As to whether they put him up to this particular action on purpose, I believe if that had been the case, it would have been brought up by the DA or whomever it was and the charges would have been dropped.
If you think my above statement is incorrect, what do you believe was going on? Do you really believe that the child's actions were completely independent? If you do, do you believe that this child would have been allowed to protest for a cause that his parents didn't belive in?
www.judgegeorgegreer.com.
Terri was murdered and the GOP was right in there voting for her extermination while saying they supported "a culture of life." Yeah, right.
And if the letter is not accepted what? Are they going to put the little kid in an iron maiden or on the rack? FLORIDA IS BARBARIC!
What do you expect from a registered sex offender.
According to Editor and Publisher, The Charlotte Observer reported that he had pleaded guilty to sexual battery, was in jail for parts of 1992 and 1993, according to court records, and served time on probation.
"...Heldreth was arrested after an incident at Ohio University and charged with two counts of rape and one count of kidnapping."
Seems that he doesn't really care about other people, even willing to use his own kids. If a child wanted to play in traffic, I'm sure an excuse of "but the kid wanted to" wouldn't hold much water...but all reason goes out the door when hysTerria hits.
"And a little child shall lead them."
FReepers and Conservatives do NOT USE their children in protests.
Our children are raised with values, morals, and the ability to make up their own minds.
While my sons did not become so strongly involved in this issue - there have been many times THEY have come to me with situations I was not aware of - FURIOUS and wanting to take action.
Using children - that would be the Lefties you must be thinking about.
You may want to check out the websites for the "other side". JK
There was no DE NOVO (brand new) HEARING. Judge Whittemore did not LISTEN TO CONGRESS. Now people are dehydrating and starving in NO. It breaks my heart.
It's clear to me that this child is expressing the views of his parents. If you don't believe that, then I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.
Considering the fanaticism of the Terri supporters we've seen around here, can't say that I blame them.
Why would they consider Joshua's rights and consult the Constitution, when they didn't give a rip about it regarding a starving, dying woman? JK
He's learned deception and oblique-speak well from his Government-Intrusion Leftie idols.
Which was a possibly unforeseen ramification of the "guilty" plea he made. I would have suggested "no contest."
In the mind of this 10 year old and most other rational thinking adults, it was far bigger than politics. It was about a woman being starved to death, to include dehydration by the very authorities that are to protect her.
If Christ moved this boys soul to do this, who are we to question that. In fact....WHY would anyone question that?
Only a politician would of course!
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.