- Feb 5, 2002
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(OSV News) — Bobby Schindler still remembers his older sister’s love of animals.
“We had a Labrador growing up, a family pet that she just adored,” he told OSV News about his sister, Terri Schiavo, and their dog, Bucky. “He had … a brain tumor, and he fell over and collapsed … and Terri reached out and tried to give it mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”
“I don’t think she knew how to do it,” he added, but “she was trying to do everything she could to save her dog.”
Schindler spoke about Schiavo ahead of the 20th anniversary of her death — a death that followed a years-long legal battle that made international headlines and captured the attention of then-President George W. Bush, U.S. members of Congress and even the Vatican.
Schiavo, who had suffered a serious brain injury, died on March 31, 2005, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed at the decision of her husband, Michael, against the wishes of her parents and siblings. She was 41.
Her case led Schindler to dedicate his life to helping families in similar situations through the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, an organization dedicated to upholding human dignity by serving those who are medically vulnerable. The network, which provides a 24/7 crisis lifeline service for at-risk patients and families, has helped thousands since its founding in 2005.
Schindler, together with Dr. Tim Millea, chair of the Catholic Medical Association Health Care Policy Committee, spoke with OSV News about the challenges since Schiavo’s death to upholding the dignity of life for the medically vulnerable.
“We knew Terri had a severe brain injury, and we knew that she most likely was never going to improve to the point where she was going to be able to take care of herself,” said Schindler, a Paige Comstock Cunningham senior fellow at Americans United for Life and an associate scholar at Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. “That never mattered to our family: Terri was a human being. She had value and worth and … she only needed food and hydration to live.”
Continued below.
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“We had a Labrador growing up, a family pet that she just adored,” he told OSV News about his sister, Terri Schiavo, and their dog, Bucky. “He had … a brain tumor, and he fell over and collapsed … and Terri reached out and tried to give it mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”
“I don’t think she knew how to do it,” he added, but “she was trying to do everything she could to save her dog.”
Schindler spoke about Schiavo ahead of the 20th anniversary of her death — a death that followed a years-long legal battle that made international headlines and captured the attention of then-President George W. Bush, U.S. members of Congress and even the Vatican.
Schiavo, who had suffered a serious brain injury, died on March 31, 2005, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed at the decision of her husband, Michael, against the wishes of her parents and siblings. She was 41.
Her case led Schindler to dedicate his life to helping families in similar situations through the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, an organization dedicated to upholding human dignity by serving those who are medically vulnerable. The network, which provides a 24/7 crisis lifeline service for at-risk patients and families, has helped thousands since its founding in 2005.
Schindler, together with Dr. Tim Millea, chair of the Catholic Medical Association Health Care Policy Committee, spoke with OSV News about the challenges since Schiavo’s death to upholding the dignity of life for the medically vulnerable.
“We knew Terri had a severe brain injury, and we knew that she most likely was never going to improve to the point where she was going to be able to take care of herself,” said Schindler, a Paige Comstock Cunningham senior fellow at Americans United for Life and an associate scholar at Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. “That never mattered to our family: Terri was a human being. She had value and worth and … she only needed food and hydration to live.”
Coming back to the faith
Continued below.
Brother of Terri Schiavo says fight to protect life at all stages more urgent than ever
Bobby Schindler reflects on his sister Terri Schiavo's life ahead of the 20th anniversary of her death, advocating for human dignity.
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