Posted on 03/27/2006 3:39:32 AM PST by rhema
Terri Schiavo's brother and a pro-life priest who helped her parents and siblings in the days leading up to her euthanasia death responded to comments her former husband made in an appearance on NBC's "Dateline" on Sunday. Schiavo admitted his book he wrote about Terri and the controversy surrounding her was meant to "settle a score" with her family. He also said he had nothing to do with Terri's collapse in 1990 that put her in an incapacitated state.
Responding to allegations that he may have physically abused Terri, leading to her collapse, Michael told NBC News, "They're wrong. I heard the thud. Ran to Terri. Called after that little gasp, I mean, it was within a minute I was on the phone with 911. They can think whatever."
Terri's initial collapse was blamed on a potassium imbalance, but an autopsy ruled that out. A bone scan performed after Terri's collapse found evidence of possible trauma and friends later revealed the couple go into a heated argument on the day Terri collapsed.
"We believe he knows what happened to her that night," Bobby Schindler, her brother, told Reuters. He said he still believes Michael should be questioned about what happened that night to cause Terri to collapse.
Michael claimed Terri is in Heaven "praising" him for subjecting her to a painful 13-day starvation and dehydration death.
"Our family will never believe Terri wanted to die this way," Schindler responded.
Meanwhile, Father Frank Pavone, who was with the Schindler family in the days and hours leading up to Terri's death, released an open letter over the weekend criticizing Michael and correcting his take on what happened.
"[Y]ou were the one insisting that she continue to be deprived of food and water, right up to her death," Pavone said. "I watched her face for hours on end, right up to moments before her last breath. Her death was not peaceful, nor was it beautiful."
"This week, tens of millions of Americans will remember those agonizing days last year, and will scratch their heads trying to figure out why you didn't simply let Terri's mom, dad, and siblings take care of her, as they were willing to do," Pavone added.
"She had no terminal illness. She was simply a disabled woman who needed extra care that you weren't willing to give," he said.
"Terri's case was not one of judging treatment to be worthless – which is sometimes the case; rather, it was about judging a life to be worthless, which is never the case," Pavone concluded.
Mark Fuhrman said in his book that Michael didn't want to talk to him about what happened that night. The book "Silent Witness," also quotes a lot of people who say Michael has a short fuse.
From what I saw of him on TV last year I would agree with that idea. What do you have to hide, Michael?
Pro-Life Bump!
Michael thinks he's gotten away with murder. I sure would hate to be standing in his shoes....come judgement day. But, on the other hand.......he may think burning in hell is a beautiful thing.
"She had no terminal illness. She was simply a disabled woman who needed extra care that you weren't willing to give," he said.
With a horrible ending. I still have trouble believing our judges would condemn someone who was only guilty of wanting to live and parents and siblings guilty of loving her too and wanting her to live.
"This week, tens of millions of Americans will remember those agonizing days last year, and will scratch their heads trying to figure out why you didn't simply let Terri's mom, dad, and siblings take care of her, as they were willing to do," Pavone added."
Did we ever get an answer to this question? I've often wondered why he wouldn't walk away and let the parents take over.
Good thing God doesn't judge like you, isn't it.
In fact, God forgives ALL sin. Not that he committed any, and, at any rate, it's not for you to judge. Better brush up on your bible studies before you decide who is going to burn in hell or not.
Lies and the Lying Liars who tell them. This despicable murderer has gotten away with a murder that was carried out for everyone to see.
We may not ever see this coward brought to justice in this life, but we have the satisfaction of knowing that he'll have no peace in the next.
He and his henchman, Judge Greer, still have to face God and atone for their cowardly murder of Terri.
He said it was because she had stated to him, while watching a TV show about a terminally ill person, that she would not want to live like that. No living will--just Michael's word about her statement. The court deferred to him as husband, and he prevailed (as is typical). Who can judge whether he was sincere?
You have to repent.....to be forgiven. Michael does not. Maybe YOU should brush up a bit, eh?
Ping.
Actually, there is a little personal responsibility included in the forgiveness equation, i.e., confession of said sins and repentance. I've not seen signs of either.
Exactly. :)
I almost gave a LOL but will refrain due to the content under discussion. Hell, he thought starvation was just like a sunset on the Bayou.
Sick bastard
This is perhaps the most uneducated biblical rebuke I've ever seen. God forgives those WHO REPENT.
AND he only forgives those who are his to begin with. If you are unwilling to say Michael Schiavo is in need of salvation and has sinned greatly and is STILL UNREPENTENT, then YOU need to brush up on the scriptures.
Wait a minute here...God does not forgive all sin...that is a lie. God forgives only the sin we have repented of. He does not give an across the board forgiveness just because he is a loving God. Read the Bible and find out what prerequisites there are for his forgiveness. Look up the word repentance and see how that is linked to the forgiveness of sin.
It amazes me that some people actually believe this. God is a loving God but he is also a righteous one. He cannot abide sin and His word tells us the consequence of sin is death...it is not forgiveness. Forgiveness only comes from a repentant heart and a turning away from sin.
Those people who choose to sin and do not repent are in danger of the consequences...ie death. The God who overlooks sin and gives an across the board forgiveness "just because" does not exist...he is a figment of the imagination. He is not the God of the Bible.
He frowns on sin and requires us to repent before he will forgive.
yes I agree and should have put that in my post...you have to be His ....
I tend to have a strong opinion about this case. I quit a job at a long-term care facility years ago..... because I couldn't cooperate with the Dr. and Grandkids wanting to pull Granny's feeding tube. She'd become inconvenient. It amazes me how callous our society is becoming.
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.