Terri Schiavo's Family Celebrates Her 40th Birthday, Hundreds Send Cards

LifeNews.com ^ | December 3, 2003 | Steven Ertelt

[nickcarraway]

Pinellas Park, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Members of Terri Schiavo's family celebrated her 40th birthday on Wednesday as supporters gathered outside of the Woodside Hospice building where she lives. Pro-life people from across the United States came to show their support for the woman who has become the focus of the national debate over euthanasia.

"The support for Terri has been overwhelming. Our family is touched by the tremendous outpouring of love and encouragement for our daughter," said Terri’s mother, Mary Schindler.

According to Terri's family, many supporters came bearing gifts and several hundred people sent Terri birthday cards and while others gave balloons and cupcakes.

Students from Margaret K. Lewis School in Panama City, Florida, also reached out to Terri.

Dozens of special needs students, many who have their own feeding tubes, learned they could send birthday wishes. Though they needed help from teachers and assistants to draw their cards and sign their names, that didn't stop them from letting Terri know they care.

"So many of these are children with feeding tubes," says Susan Perry who works at the school.

Perry told WMBB-TV, "They are human beings just like Terri. They want her to understand they know what she's going through, and if their feeding tubes were taken away from them they would go hungry. They just want to wish her a very happy birthday."

Some who came in person to support Terri brought special homemade items.

Jeanie Dicus of California brought a hand-crafted a quilt with lavender flowers and intricate needle-work for a gift. Cheryl Ford of Florida put together a collage of photos from people around the world who support the disabled woman and her plight.

Pamela Hennessy, a representative of Terri's family, said it was comforting to know people "see Terri as a person and not an 'issue.'"

"This gives us all pause to remember those amongst us who may not be able to speak for themselves -- but who are still, very much part of our human race," Hennessy added.

Birthday cards are one of the few things Terri gets to see in her hospice room. According to Terri's family, Michael Schiavo has prevented her from receiving flowers. However, the Schindler family is allowed to take cards and other gifts to her while the legal battle continues.

Birthday greetings for Terri can be sent to The Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation, 4615 Gulf Boulevard, #104-103, St. Petersburg Beach, Florida 33706.

Related web sites:

Terri's family - http://www.terrisfight.org

[cyn]

PING! to post about terri's party!

[cyn]

PING to info on Terri's party! Thanks again for signing her cyber card!

[stanz]

Thanks for your report.
It's good to have some firsthand knowledge. I would imagine that you and
the family and others involved in Terri's fight are exhausted.
Thank you for all your efforts. I'm sure it will pay off when all is said
and done and Terri is allowed to live her life in peace.

[sweetliberty]

Have they done Terri's segment on Montel yet. I just remembered and turned it on.

[sweetliberty]

Have they done Terri's segment on Montel yet? I just remembered and turned it on.

[Saundra Duffy]

Happy Birthday to Terri, an Angel in disguise.

[Saundra Duffy]

What kind of monster would refuse flowers to his disabled wife?

He probably says it's because she's allergic. Oh, wait, that can't be because he says she's already dead. How could she be allergic? You're right, he is a monster.

[Saundra Duffy]

You forgot to mention that Terri's wheelchair is broken and he won't allow it to be fixed. In addition, he denied Terri dental care for about seven years. He's a monster, all right.

[Saundra Duffy]

Thank you for being there and thank you for the report. You have no idea how much it means to us. God bless you.

[Dante3]

And Michael also had the feeding tubes of his own parents removed and said he felt good about it on Larry King.

[Ohioan from Florida]

What kind of monster would refuse flowers to his disabled wife?

I would use this as the very first question in the upcoming ,(hopefully) TRIAL!!!

If things happen in courtrooms the way I imagine, they'd call for an objection, that it would be leading the witness, and move to strike. Probably rewording it to "What kind of person would refuse flowers to his disabled wife?" wouldn't work any better. Nope. They'll probably never get to ask such a question. It would show bias. Poor Michael, he just can't get a fair trial, can he? < /sarcasm>

[Ohioan from Florida]

Thanks for giving us here an update on Terri's party. I'm sure it was a blessed time for Terri's family. Was her sister okay? You mentioned that she was emotional. Hopefully it was just that the support was overwhelming. I wonder if A&E will air anything soon. Where will they be moving Terri? Will she get fresh air even if for just a few minutes? Ah, the wonderment of it all! Thanks for all you who are on the front lines are doing for Terri and her family.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

We sang happy birthday by Terri's window.

Screen's blurry again...

....thank you for that.

[pollywog]

He has a standing order that all religious items sent to Terri are to be tossed at once into the trash.

OH wow!! This is one I had not heard!! This goes along with his lame excuse for her not being able to take communion!! This is RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AT IT'S WORST. Where did you get this info?

[KDubRN]

God Bless the Schindlers'. Those folks are hurting. I can't even begin to describe.....the only words I can find to tell the plight....they have been ravaged and raped, literally.

[windchime]

Two good reports. Thanks for posting! I pray that Terri has many more birthdays celebrated with her family (not HINO).

[geege]

Horrible law under the circumstances.......evil bastard of a husband.

[T'wit]

>> You forgot to mention that Terri's wheelchair is broken and he won't allow it to be fixed. In addition, he denied Terri dental care for about seven years. He's a monster, all right.

Thanks for those additions. If we get our heads together, we might eventually list all the mean, heartless things Michael has done to Terri, abusing his guardianship to do so.

The chair was and is important. Sitting up is the first step in therapy. It cheers up the patient.

My favorite Michael Moment was when he admitted to Pat Anderson under cross examination that he was doing all this to Terri because he hates her family. That isn't word for word (we should dig that out), but close enough. He admitted much the same on LKL. (So much for his story that he's trying to kill her because that's what she wanted.)

My second favorite Michael Moment was when he removed Terri's wedding rings shortly after her "collapse" and had them melted (or whatever) and made into a ring for himself. Now that is SOOOOOO romantic and loving. Every woman will understand. Every woman can read his black heart.

[Salvation]

BTTT!

[PeyersPatches]

According to Terri's family, Michael Schiavo has prevented her from receiving flowers. However, the Schindler family is allowed to take cards and other gifts to her while the legal battle continues.

---

Gak! That makes my blood boil! When are they going to get that dirtbag, Michael, away from her? What kind of animal gets a thrill out of being so bleeping cruel to a disabled woman and her true loving blood relatives? I absolutely detest Michael Schiavo.