TAMPA BAY, October 24, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Terri Schiavo’s parents were permitted to see her Thursday in the hospice and have reported that she is doing very well, especially considering her recent ordeal of being left without food or water for almost seven days. Fears that her kidneys would be affected by the prolonged starvation were not realized. “She has her colour back. She’s tired, but she looks wonderful,” said Terri’s father Bob Schindler. However, her husband Michael Schiavo and his euthanasia-activist lawyer remain determined to get the courts to order her starvation death to recommence. Lawyer George Felos called the recent actions by the Florida Legislature and Governor Jeb Bush to reconnect Terri’s feeding tube unconstitutional. They claim that it was Terri’s wish that she not receive extraordinary medical treatment which they assert would include nutrition and hydration even though she is not otherwise dying. The battle between Michael and Terri’s parents who wish to save her life has been going on for some 10 years. However, Terri’s parents, the Schindlers, have pointed out that it was not until 1998, when Mr. Schiavo hired euthanasia-activist legal specialist Mr. Felos, that he suddenly `remembered` that Terri had made some vague remarks about not wanting to be sustained on anything `artificial` if she became incapacitated. Accepting the arguments of Felos and apparently in support of the concept of euthanasia by withholding of nutrition and hydration, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has decided to intervene in support of Michael Schiavo.
The family was stunned by the news, saying they had hoped the ACLU would intervene on Terri’s behalf especially since Michael has continually denied her civil and religious rights. Pamela Hennessy, a spokesman for the parents, told the Tampa Tribune she was “outraged” at the intervention of the ACLU. “I’ve been contacting the ACLU since the beginning of my involvement in this case to have them speak out against what’s going on with Terri,” Hennessy said. “It’s going on against her will. She’s had her religious freedoms stripped from her. She’s had her civil liberties stripped from her. And they’re defending the husband?” See related LifeSite coverage: The Bizarre Motivation behind Michael Schiavo’s Right-to-Die Lawyer George Felos https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/oct/03102304.html Terri Schiavo Moved Back to Hospice; Legal Guardian to be Appointed https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/oct/03102305.html See the local coverage: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-schiavo24oct24,0,7563392.story?coll=sfla-news-broward https://news.tbo.com/news/MGAZU8ZM5MD.html