Terri's Mother Appeals Directly to Michael Schiavo
By Jeff Johnson
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
March 30, 2005
http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewNation.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200503\NAT20050330a.html
Pinellas Park, Fla. (CNSNews.com) - Terri Schiavo's mother took her battle to save her daughter directly to the man responsible for the court decision to deny Terri nutrition and hydration Tuesday night. Mary Schindler called on Michael Schiavo and the mother of his two children, Jody Centonze, to relent.
"Michael and Jody, you have your own children," Mary Schindler said, fighting back tears. "Please, please give my child back to me."
Though Michael is still legally married to Terri, he and Centonze have had two children together since Michael began his court battle to end Terri's life. Michael has said that he and Centonze have no plans to marry after Terri's death.
Terri's feeding tube was removed 12 days ago Wednesday. Most medical experts agreed at the time that she would only live 10 to 14 days before dying of a combination of dehydration and starvation.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson met and prayed with the Schindler family Tuesday. He spent much of the day trying to convince Republican members of the Florida Senate to reconsider their votes against legislation to allow Gov. Jeb Bush to order the feeding tube reinserted.
"I'm here because I feel so passionate about this injustice done to Terri," Jackson said, " and how unnecessary it is to starve her to death."
Mary Schindler also had a message for Florida lawmakers.
"I'm begging them to please fight," she said, "and give Terri a chance."
While Jackson was talking with reporters, a 56-year-old Pennsylvania man slipped past the outer security perimeter at the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, attempting to take water to Terri. Police subdued him with a Taser electronic stun device just outside the door and arrested him.
While the crowd supporting the Schindler family's efforts to save Terri has grown smaller as the legal appeals ran out, it has grown no less vocal. Protesters yelled, "Let him give her some water," as police escorted the Pennsylvania man away. Police estimated the crowd at 300 on Sunday and about 200 on Tuesday.
Area residents are complaining about the "circus atmosphere" created by the massive media presence at the Woodside Hospice.
A nearby elementary school has shut down because of security concerns. Approximately 600 students from the Cross Bayou Elementary School were relocated to three other facilities beginning Monday because of what school officials called an "unstable environment."
GOP leaders postponed a planned Social Security "town hall meeting," set for Wednesday in Tampa, "out of respect for the Schiavo and Schindler families," according to Mandy Fletcher who was helping to organize the event.
She told the Tampa Tribune that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, Senate Republican Conference Chairman Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez "didn't think it was appropriate to go into the region and do a big policy event at this time."
Also, if you are a Floridian, do contact your legislator sometime to state
your interest in the issue and to either thank him/her or to request a
re-thinking of the issue.
If you have family/friends in Florida, please ask them to call their legislator.
Bobby Schindler was just on the Laura Ingraham show.
She asked Bobby about Terri not being able to receive Communion yesterday.
It was MS himself who refused to allow Msg. Malanowski to give Communion to Terri on Tuesday.
And on Sunday when the Msg. was not allowed to give Communion himself to Terri, that was actually a court order.
Laura as a Catholic is of course uncomprehending that we now have reached a point where a woman who is dying can be denied her religion (as Terri was in 2003, I remember it very well).
Laura can't understand why Felos is even allowed in Terri's room. Bobby says he has a fascination (maybe he used a different word) with death.
Just a couple of things to report from what was a very moving interview.
Laura is terribly upset by Terri's plight. One of her callers from either WY or Montana, can't remember, said everyone in his town is absolutely pulling for Terri, her name is never far from their conversations, said he never had the chance to meet Terri, but he wished he could have a brother like Bobby.
Interview is over now.
God bless Mary Schindler, and may He bring her the desires of her heart . . .and Bob, Bobby, and Suzanne.
They are such a decent family -- from all I know of them, at a distance as well as in conversations with them on several different occasions, (incl. Jax press conference 2/28), they show themselves to be decent and above board! I pray, I pray, that their honest appeal will be met in kind...please, Lord, soften hearts that til now have been hard! move those with the power to act on Terri's behalf even as You continue to sustain Terri and her family at this time of deepest need!
But, the GOP's inside numbers are tanking which proves that Rove is not the GWB's boy genius after all.
YOU HAVE FREEPMAIL.