Readers React: Schiavo Condolences
March 31, 2005 — -- Terri Schiavo has died in Florida, after a lengthy legal battle over life-sustaining procedures for the 41-year-old brain-damaged woman pitted her parents against her husband. Here is a selection of your comments on this case being posted on the ABCNEWS.com message board.
Condolences for Schiavo
RecoveredBoardPoster: Finally at peace. She is with the Higher Hand now, and free of her burdens and suffering. She is in a better place. Sad to see that she endured her condition for 15 years.
neview67: Thank the Lord that she has moved on. Can we get a prayer that this will end the circus?
zipperedlady: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Shivo, My prayers, my love and heart go out to you. I know how you feel as I just recently lost my husband after years of struggle to keep him alive. No words or acts of kindness can truly take away the hurt and pain. You need to keep your faith, your family and the memories to keep you strong. I know people tell you in time things will heal all wounds.
grannynut: God Bless her and all her family. Rest in peace Terri.
pjnewton1: As a mother, my heart breaks for this family. I'm sure her mother will always see Terri as a sweet beautiful child.
tallbrownman38: To the Schindler family: I pray God's comfort and strength to your family during this time. Just know that Terri is walking streets paved with gold.
MrsB_ny: This is my first ever posting on any topic. This entire story has been a heartwrenching one for me as I once had a young nephew who had severe seizures and as a result sustained severe brain damage … and was fed thru a tube for approx 4 years until he died of pneumonia at the age of 6. I felt the pain of Terri's parents wanting her to live (if only for their sake), because it is easier then dealing with her death. And I felt her husbands pain also. Loving her enough to fight for her wishes and wanting to go on with his life as well … In the end this bitter fight between family and an entire nation means little. God Bless Terri and may she rest in peace.
Politics, Court Rulings and The Debate
ep4life: It's sad because now a precedent has been set to allow ANY disabled person who cannot speak for themselves to have the same fate as Terri. Where is the value for human life? Are we only valuable if we have no disabilities? It's sad and it's shameful.
ericavan: Peace be with you Terri … You can't save someone's life by keeping them on a feeding tube you can only prolong their inevitable death, and what better way to go is in peace with peace of mind from both ends. Keeping Terri on a feeding tube was not right.
Nycballa2k5: This is just a great example that people should have living wills, if she would have had one this whole fiasco would have ended long ago.
wadyaknow: My condolences go to Michael Schiavo who has suffered indignities of these opportunist right-wing nuts.
Putdalimeindacoke: Man, why is everyone hating on Mike Shiavo? His wife SAID she didn't want to live under those circumstances. She also didn't have any improvement or anything.
fuggiessnb: If I had a child in this position, I would fight for him or her. But at some point you have to let them go. It's about quality of life.
jude1516: Now that Terri's mortal life has ended, after the years of contentious battle and parallel denial, we should look at what we can take away from this experience.