Hugh Finn wanted to live too. No one was allowed to feed him either. Hugh's wife moved him to another state, went through court fights with his parents, etc.
Hugh and his wife had young children then but they are about grown now. One of his daughters [Keelie] is in college now and came on Free Republic asking questions about her father's death.
Google his name and Marjorie Nighbert and read their stories.
Thanks for your input.
Here's an excerpt that I found when I searched about Hugh Finn, with link:
Doctors had told her Hugh was in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) and would never recover. He wouldn't want to live like that, Michele insisted. Finn was so angry over the exchange he told Hugh Michele was going to kill him, an act he immediately regretted. '[Hugh's] face turned red. He pinched his lips in. His hands were on his chest grabbing [at his clothing]. He shivered and shivered for 45 minutes. I had begun to believe what the doctors said [about PVS], but then I knew. 'You do understand!''
Hugh's parents and siblings weren't the only ones who disagreed. Michele's own mother and sister opposed her. Mary Margaret Keely, Michele's mom, didn't believe the PVS diagnosis, which describes a patient as unaware of his surroundings and unresponsive. At Christmas Hugh had thanked her for a gift and asked for Elaine, Michele's sister.
When she heard what Michele was going to do, she said, she immediately went to see her. 'I told Michele I love her unconditionally, but I couldn't support her in what she was doing.'
excerpt from http://www.defendlife.org/newsletters/nov1998/text/murder_in_manassas.shtml