Inclusion Daily Express -- Terri Schiavo's Family To Publish Book

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Terri Schiavo's Family To Publish Book
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
September 29, 2005

TAMPA, FLORIDA--The parents and siblings of Terri Schindler-Schiavo are writing a book about their 15-year struggle to keep her alive. The unnamed book is scheduled for a publication date in March of 2006, one year after Terri's controversial death.

Warner Books announced Tuesday that the book being written by parents Bob and Mary Schindler, brother Bobby Schindler and sister Suzanne Vitadamo will "set the record straight for the first time".

According to a company press release, "for the first time ever, they will share their love and sorrow, joy and pain, and some shocking revelations as they honor Terri's life, mourn her death, and finally tell the whole story, the true story, of an innocent woman who met a needlessly premature death."

The Schindler family account will compete for space on bookshelves with another book, also scheduled for publishing in March, by husband Michael Schiavo, who fought through the courts to have his wife's feeding tube removed. His 280-page book is entitled "Terri: the Truth" and is planned for publication by Dutton Publishing.

Terri Schiavo's brain was injured in February 1990 when she collapsed and stopped breathing for an unknown reason. Several doctors testified in a Florida court that she fell into a "persistent vegetative state", and became unaware of her surroundings, unable to interact with her environment and had little hope for recovery. Mr. Schiavo, who was appointed as Terri's guardian, later convinced a court that she would not have wanted to be kept alive by receiving food and water through a feeding tube.

Terri's parents tried for years to block the removal of their daughter's feeding tube, and to have the court order therapies that Mr. Schiavo had refused to allow. They argued that Terri interacted with them, was alert and aware of her surroundings, and would not have wanted to die of dehydration and starvation.

The conflict between Terri's parents and husband gained international attention in March of this year when the U.S. Congress passed, and President George W. Bush signed, an emergency measure to allow the parents to challenge the local court's decision in federal court. However, the federal court, appeals court, and U.S. Supreme Court rejected the challenge, and Terri died of dehydration on the 31st of March, thirteen days after the feeding tube had been removed.

Dozens of disability groups supported Terri's parents through years of court battles, arguing, among other things, that letting Terri starve and dehydrate to death sends the wrong message, that the lives of people with certain disabilities are "not worth living".

Related:
"Terri Schiavo's Right To Live" (Inclusion Daily Express Archives)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/advocacy/schiavo01.htm

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