Posted on 10/23/2003 11:52:32 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
El Paso Woman Hopes Her Story Reaches Florida
October 23, 2003 -- Audra Schroeder KFOX News at Nine Weekend Anchor/Reporter
In Florida, Terri Schiavo is caught in the middle of a bitter right-to-die debate.
She has been in a vegetative state since 1990 and her husband wants her taken off life support.
In El Paso, Velma Delgado slipped into a vegetative state in 1995.
Maria Tiscareno, Velmas sister says, "They took her to the emergency room and the minute they took her out of the car and put her in the wheelchair her head went back and her eyes rolled back and she never woke up."
Fluid blockage in Velma's brain put her in the coma and the outlook her doctor gave was grim.
Maria adds, "He said that she had a brain tumor, they couldn't operate and she wouldn't survive."
But the Delgado family refused to give up.
They brought Velma home and cared for her for three years then the unthinkable happened, Velma woke up.
Today Velma is a very determined woman who is on the fast track to recovery.
Her family says if Velma can recover from a vegetative state, so can Terri Schiavo.
Estella Delgado, Velmas mother says, "I saw her on the news and I said oh my God they can't take her life away they can't do that."
Velma's family says they were disgusted by the news that a feeding tube had been taken away from the Florida woman.
They disagree with efforts to let her life slip away.
Maria says, "Another thing that really angered me yesterday is that there was a doctor and he said not even a miracle can save her life. Well, you know what, here's the living miracle."
And the miracle, Velma Delgado, says Terri should be allowed to live. Keep her alive. Don't take her off the feeding tube."
Velma says after all, Terri may one day get a second chance like her.
The Delgado family says there are more miracles in store for Velma. They hope that one day she will be able to walk on her own. But the next miracle that they're praying for is that their story here in El Paso will some how reach Terri Schiavo's husband in Florida and convince him that there's still hope for his wife.
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