Wednesday August 3, 2005


Brain-Dead Virginia Woman Gives Birth To Healthy Baby Girl
ALEXANDRIA, VA, August 3, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Susan Torres, the brain-dead Virginia woman whose plight attracted the sympathy of the international community, has given birth to a healthy baby girl. Born at 8:18 am, Susan Anne Catherine Torres was delivered by Caesarean section, weighing just 1 pound, 13 ounces.
26-year-old Susan Torres Sr., a vaccine researcher and mother of a two-year-old son, Peter, collapsed on May 7 of this year from advanced stages of melanoma. Having been pronounced brain-dead at the time with no hope of recovery, her husband Jason Torres chose to continue to artificially keep his wife alive until the child in her womb could develop to viability.
Jason had repeatedly said in the past that they hoped to be able to wait until the 25th week of pregnancy before delivering the child, that being the likely earliest point the child could survive outside the womb. The risk of failure was high as at any point during the pregnancy Susan’s organs could have failed, or the cancer could have spread through the umbilical cord to her baby. The baby was delivered at just over 26 weeks.
A statement released by the family said that, "There were no complications during delivery. The baby is doing well and is being monitored in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Virginia Hospital Center.”
The birth of his child is bittersweet for Jason, who quit his job to spend countless hours with his wife at her hospital bedside, and who now has to face the imminent decision to turn off the machines that are keeping her alive. Jason also has a two year old son, Peter.
“We thank all those who prayed and provided support for Susan, the baby and our family," stated Jason Torres, Susan's husband, “We especially thank God for giving us little Susan. My wife's courage will never be forgotten.”
"With the news of little Susan's birth comes the immense grief that her mother, Susan, will soon leave us for her heavenly reward,” said Paul Chaim Schenck, executive director of the National Pro-Life Action Center and adviser to the Torres’.
"Her valiant struggle to survive long enough to deliver her baby daughter is a deeply moving illustration of the force of love and the sacredness of life," Mr. Schenck said. He then offered a prayer for "the soul of Susan Torres," that she may, "through the mercy of God, rest in peace. ... Amen."
So far, the Susan Torres Fund has collected $400,000 of the approximately $1 million in medical costs incurred during the latter part of the pregnancy. To donate to the fund go to http://www.susantorresfund.org/.
jj/hw
SHARE THIS STORY:
E-mail
Print
Newsvine
Digg
Reddit
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Latest Headlines
- Legislators Seek Abortion-on-Demand for Every State in Mexico

- Video Catches Planned Parenthood Covering Up Statutory Rape

- Kenyan Cardinal Blasts Government Attempt to Legalise Abortion

- Franciscan University Board Member Backs Obama, School Distances Itself

- Democratic Platform Promises, Republican Platform Rejects More Abortion Overseas

- San Francisco Catholic Charities Ends Relationship with the US' "Gayest Adoption Agency"

- US Government Cuts Off Supplies to Marie Stopes International

- Pope Commends Knights of Columbus for their Pro-Life Work

- The 16th International Week of Prayer and Fasting

- Billy Graham to Turn 90: Public Invited to Send Personal Stories, Birthday Wishes

- Catholic Magazine Calls For Defeat And Removal Of Prime Minister Harper

Most Read this Week
- Extreme Pro-Abortion Feminist Heather Mallick Scheduled to Speak at Catholic St. Mary's University
- Sarah Palin Speaks on Abortion, Contraception, Homosexuality
- Martin Sheen Stars in Ad Opposing Assisted Suicide in Washington State
- Abortion Patient of George Tiller Feared for Life: 'They're Liable to Kill Me'
- Bella Star Eduardo Saves Five Unborn Babies' Lives
- CBC Apologises for "Porn Star" Attack on Palin
- Russia: 64% of Pregnancies End in Abortion
- Catholic Magazine Calls For Defeat And Removal Of Prime Minister Harper
- Eduardo Verastegui Talks about Obama, Saving Babies Outside L.A. Abortion Clinic
- Swedish Man Awarded $24,170 Compensation after Filming Himself Having Sex with 14 Year-Old
MORE NEWS:
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page
Last 10 Days
Archives
Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.


Back to Top