Gary Coleman's Quick Removal off Life Support and Resulting Death Raises Questions

Life Site News ^ | May 31, 2010 | Commentary by Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

[TheZMan]

Or he slipped in the tub and had told everyone “do not keep me on life support”.

[null and void]

[gov_bean_ counter]

That force could have resulted from any number of causes, ranging from something as innocent as a slip in the bathtub, to something as sinister as a blow from a heavy blunt object.

... or a dwarf toss gone bad.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Well, the wife can’t just say I want him off life support, if there was no brain wave activity, then life support doesn’t do anything for anyone...... these decisions are not made in a vacuum...

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Check the life insurance policies....

[PghBaldy]

I hope someone looks into this. After reading this, I am reminded of how I wondered if he was murdered. It was just a thought that popped into my mind, but I dismissed it.

[Will88]

Hmmm, the first reports I heard attributed his death to a brain hemorrhage. Mentioned previous health problems, but no mention of any accident or blow to the head.

[Tai_Chung]

[trumandogz]

I have had to make that same decision for a family member and would never judge another person who was faced with the same decision.

[Mike-o-Matic]

RIP, Gary Coleman. Other than some money (most of which was pilfered by others) and fame as a child actor, he was dealt a pretty lousy hand in life. He did the best he could with it.

And by the way: Making jokes about a guy right after his untimely death... well, that just ain't right.

[CyberAnt]

Or .. his wife was tired of the fighting .. tired of the daily treatments .. and all the money that was being spent on somebody who was apparently close to the dying process.

I’d follow the money .......

[iowamark]

Yes, in fact the next of kin can and often does decline extraordinary life support measures.

“[N]o brain wave activity” is very much not the standard used.

[Eyes Unclouded]

*rim-shot*

[ThE_RiPpEr.]

“I have had to make that same decision for a family member and would never judge another person who was faced with the same decision.”

Thank you for sharing this. It really hit home.

Sadly, I had to make such a decision of removal off life support for my only brother this morning, only hours after he was admitted to the hospital.

There were limited options given to us by the physicians but the end results would all be the same.

It was one of the most terrible things I ever had to deal with, but I know in my heart it was the right decision.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I just went through this last October with my husband.

[Sun]

I wonder if she was strongly advised by doctors to be that hasty??

[Irish Eyes]

May God bless you both, that is a hard thing to do.

[trumandogz]

I'm sorry for your loss and I know it must have been all the much more difficult due to the suddenness of his health crisis.

With my dad, I knew it was the right decision medically and I knew it was he would have wanted. Even with that, it was not an easy decision.