Terri Schiavo's Family Resigned She Will Die, Condition Disputed

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 27, 2005

Pinellas Park, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Out of legal options to stop Terri Schiavo's painful starvation death, Bob and Mary Schindler and the rest of Terri's family are resigned that the disabled daughter they have fought so hard to save will likely die.

Bob Schindler continued the family's plea for any help to spare Terri.

"She doesn't want to die, and she's showing signs of over a week now of starvation and lack of hydration. Anyone that has the authority to come in and to save Terri, they can do it. It is not too late," he said.

On Sunday, Terri went a ninth day without food and water -- an amount of time that is causing a slow and painful death. Although her condition remained in dispute, it's likely that major bodily organs, such as her liver, are beginning the process of shutting down. At that point there is little or no chance of recovery.

David Gibbs, the lead attorney for the Schindlers, told the media that Terri had "passed where physically she would be able to recover." He added that she was "declining rapidly."

However, a representative of the Schindlers said they didn't think that was the case yet.

Outside of Terri's hospice on Sunday, Terri's family hoped supporters and protesters on her behalf would spend the day with family members celebrating Easter. Instead, a small group of disability rights advocates showed up.

The threw themselves out of their wheelchairs and into the road, shouting "We're not dead yet" in solidarity with Terri.

About 100 other pro-life advocates came to Woodside Hospice on Sunday to support Terri.

Meanwhile, Monsignor Thaddeus Malanowski had been prohibited by Terri's estranged husband Michael from administering communion, but he said Sunday that he was able to place a drop of win on Terri's tongue.

However, her mouth was so parched and dry from the dehydration that he was unable to place a small morsel of bread in her mouth.

The announcement that Terri was able to receive communion drew cheers form the crowd.

Still, Terri's family was upset that Michael didn't readily agree to the communion request.

"I think a lot of the reason Michael is doing this is because of vindictiveness and maybe anger toward my family for whatever reason," said Terri Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler. "It doesn't make any sense to me why he's doing this."