PINELLASPARK, Fla. (AP) — Terri Schiavo, the severely brain-damaged woman who spent 15years connected to a feeding tube in an epic legal and medical battle that wentall the way to the White House and Congress, died Thursday, 13 days after thetube was removed.
She was 41.
Schiavo diedat the Pinellas Park hospice where she lay for years while her husband and herparents fought over her in the nation’s most bitter right-to-die dispute.
The feudbetween the parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, and their son-in-law continuedeven after her death: The Schindlers’ spiritual advisers said the couple hadbeen at their daughter’s besides minutes before the end came, but were notthere at the moment of her death because Michael Schiavo did not want them inthe room.
“And so hisheartless cruelty continues until this very last moment,” said the Rev. FrankPavone. He added: “This is not only a death, with all the sadness that brings,but this is a killing, and for that we not only grieve that Terri has passedbut we grieve that our nation has allowed such an atrocity as this and we praythat it will never happen again.”
David GibbsIII, a lawyer for the Schindlers, said: “This is indeed a sad day for the nation,for the family. … God loves Terri more than they do. She is at peace.”
