After tears, Bobby Schindler held up a Purple Heart sent by a Vietnam War veteran who said Terri Schiavo was killed by U.S. enemies and deserved the award.
Posted on 04/06/2005 12:54:53 PM PDT by hipaatwo
GULFPORT - The Rev. Frank Pavone asked a packed church on Tuesday night to honor the memory of Terri Schiavo by going forth and building a "culture of life."
Pavone, to much applause, emphasized that all life is sacred, that all lives have meaning, no matter what form they come in.
"God calls on us to go forth from this place to work together, to preach and witness together," Pavone boomed, a bank of Easter lilies behind him, "so what happened in this tragic case will never happen again."
Pavone and several other speakers elicited applause, even standing ovations, from the 700 people who overflowed onto the steps outside the Most Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church for Schiavo's memorial service.
Schiavo died Thursday, 13 days after the court-ordered removal of her feeding tube. Her plight, and the struggle between her husband and her family, made headlines around the world and drew hundreds of strangers in the past few weeks to the Pinellas Park hospice where she eventually died.
None of the speakers mentioned Michael Schiavo, the husband who argued for years that his wife would not have wanted to be kept alive, given the brain injuries she sufferred. Terri was referred to by her maiden name, Terri Schindler, throughout the service.
Many in attendance Tuesday had never met Terri Schiavo. They came in support of her family. "I know I speak for millions when I say to you tonight four simple words," Pavone said to the Schindler family seated in the front row. "We are with you."
Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler, had trouble beginning his rememberence to his sister. After choking back tears, he held up a Purple Heart sent to the family by a Vietnam War veteran. The sender indicated that Schiavo was killed by enemies of the United States, and thus, deserved the award, Schindler said to a standing ovation.
Suzanne Vitadamo, Terri Schiavo's sister, turned to her mother and said she ached for her the most. She praised Schiavo for setting an example of how to fight.
"You have shown the world what perseverance and determination are all about," Vitadamo said.
Radio talk show host Glenn Beck, who in recent years has supported the Schindlers' fight to keep Schiavo alive, stopped repeatedly to wipe away tears as he spoke to the congregation.
He focused on how Schiavo's case brought together a mix of supporters that spanned the political spectrum. Republican U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay and conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh were on the same side as liberal activist and actor Susan Sarandon and former Democratic presidential contender Jesse Jackson, Beck pointed out.
"Terri is performing her first miracle," Beck said.
Schiavo's body was cremated after an autopsy. A court order gave Michael Schiavo control of his wife's body, though he must inform her parents of any memorial services and the location of the cemetery. The court order does not say how much notice Michael Schiavo has to give the Schindler family. He has said he will bury his wife's remains in a plot in Pennsylvania. "The (Schindler) family is basically at the mercy of (Mr. Schiavo) showing kindness," the Schindlers' lawyer, David Gibbs III, said before attending the service. "If he chooses to inflict additional pain, that's his choice
After tears, Bobby Schindler held up a Purple Heart sent by a Vietnam War veteran who said Terri Schiavo was killed by U.S. enemies and deserved the award.
I am so sorry.
I feel so sorry for the family. It looks like Bobby is taking it the hardest.
Dear God in Heaven, I love these people! Praying for justice for Terri. Her innocent blood cries out day and night for justice.
They fought so hard to save her life. They seem broken. But I'm sure they will continue to fight so that this will not happen to anyone else. Terri was beloved.
Susan Sarandon was on the side of life? When did this happen?
I can understand Michael S. not wanting people to make pilgrimages to Terri's grave site, but he could have at least found some place in Florida with guards to prevent anyone but her family from visiting the grave. The man is without mercy.
What a wonderful tribute - a veteran sending his Purple Heart. (Remember how another veteran you-know-who treated his).
I wonder if the veteran was someone here on FR...?
And yet some people, even some on FR, will continue to demand that she had to die, I mean, the judge said so! sarcasm off/
A real Purple Heart in Terri's memory. I think that is wonderful and too bad we won't read about it in the MSM.
NEVER FORGET!!
Hopefully we can help them with our efforts. In addition to prayer , it’s all I know to do.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1375028/posts
Prayers go up for you also. It is always hard to remember those times, brings it all back afresh.
Wow, now I can actually find a way to respect her. I had no idea.
Millions of us will never forget Terri Schiavo, and how she fought so valiantly for her life. Unfortunately, her killers fought just as tenaciously to snuff her out. Terri carried her fight to the very limits though, living through 13 days without food or water before finally succumbing to the inhumane death demanded by her husband, ordered by the blind judge, enforced by the police, and carried out by the executioners.
I'm not a young man and I've seen many travesties and heartless deeds, but I have never, ever seen anything so barbaric and heartless as what they did to this girl right before the eyes of her family, the Governor, the Congress, the President and the nation. If our 'conservative' leaders had but one-half the guts and tenacity that Terri's killers had our country would be in great shape.
"Terri was referred to by her maiden name, Terri Schindler, throughout the service."
FINALLY, some1 uses some common sense and decency....
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.