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Press Release
For Immediate Release – 03-31-05 4.45 PM (GMT-5)
Statement of the Schindler Family
Pinellas Park, FL
– As you are aware, Terri is now with God and she
has been released from all earthly burdens. After
these recent years of neglect at the hands of those
who were supposed to protect and care for her, she
is finally at peace with God for eternity. We are
speaking on behalf of our entire family this evening
as we share some thoughts and messages to the world
regarding our sister and the courageous battle that
was waged to save her life from starvation and
dehydration.
We
have a message for the volunteers that have helped
our family:
Thank you for all that you’ve done for our family.
Thank you to the hundreds of doctors who volunteered
to help Terri. Thank you to the fifty doctors who
provided statements under oath to help Terri. Thank
you to the lawyers who stood for Terri’s life in the
courtrooms of our nation. From running our family’s
website, to driving us around, to making meals, to
serving in so many ways—thank you to all of the
volunteers who have been so kind to our family
through all of this.
We
have a message for the supporters and people praying
worldwide:
Please continue to pray that God gives grace to our
family as we go through this very difficult time. We
know that many of you never had the privilege to
personally know our wonderful sister, Terri, but we
assure you that you can be proud of this remarkable
woman who has captured the attention of the world.
Following the example of the Lord Jesus, our family
abhors any violence or any threats of violence.
Threatening words dishonor our faith, our family,
and our sister, Terri. We would ask that all those
who support our family be completely kind in their
words and deeds toward others.
We
have a message to the media:
We
appreciate your taking Terri’s case to the nation.
Please afford our family privacy to grieve at this
time.The patience and graciousness of the on-site
media here at hospice has been deeply appreciated by
our family.
We
have a message to the many government officials who
tried to help Terri:
Thank you for all that you’ve done. Our family will
be forever grateful to all of the outstanding public
servants who have tried to save Terri.
We
have a message to all of the religious leaders who
tried to help Terri:
Thank you to all people of faith who demonstrated
love for Terri and strength of conviction to defend
the sacredness of all human life as a precious gift
from God.
Our family is highly honored that the Holy Father,
Pope John Paul II, would speak out so boldly on
behalf of our sister, Terri.
We
have a message of forgiveness:
Throughout this ordeal, we are reminded of the words
of Jesus on the cross: “Father forgive them for they
know not what they do.” Our family seeks forgiveness
for anything that we have done in standing for
Terri’s life that has not demonstrated the love and
compassion required of us by our faith.
We
have a message to parents worldwide:
Our family would encourage parents to spend time
with their children and to cherish each and every
moment of each and every day with them as a precious
gift from God.
We
have a message to Terri from her family:
As
a member of our family unable to speak for yourself,
you spoke loudly. As a member of our family unable
to stand under your own power, you stood with a
grace and a dignity that made your family proud.
Terri, we love you dearly, but we know that God
loves you more than we do. We must accept your
untimely death as God’s will.
Terri, your life and legacy will continue to live
on, as the nation is now awakened to the plight of
thousands of voiceless people with disabilities that
were previously unnoticed. Your family intends to
stand up for the other “Terri’s” around this nation
and we will do all that we can to change the law so
others won’t face the same fate that has befallen
you.
We
have a final thought to share:
Our family had hoped this day would never come, but
as it has now arrived, we ask ourselves a question
in these incredibly sad circumstances: What would
the Lord Jesus ask us to do in a moment like this?
In John’s Gospel, Jesus responded to the questions
of the rabbis, who asked why a man had been born
blind. He said: “it is so that the works of God
might be made manifest through him.”
God’s plan for Terri is unfolding before our eyes.
Our prayer at this time is that our Nation will
remember the plight of persons with disabilities and
commit within our hearts to defend their lives and
their dignity for many generations to come.
http://www.cogforlife.org/schindlerpressrelease.htm |