Terri Schiavo Killed Two Years Ago Today

I was there, two years ago today, outside the hospice where Terri died, pictured holding the flag above. Beside me was Frank D'Angelis, fellow pro-lifer from Toronto, whom I met when I arrived there. It was really Terri's plight and my trip to Pinellas Park in 2005 that was a kind of "baptism" for me into pro-life work.

From my diary entry Tuesday, March 29, 2005:

Today I traveled to Pinellas Park in Florida to stand with others in proclaiming the unjust and immoral killing of Terri Schiavo, a 41 year old woman whose only crime was that she was a disabled person. Less than 24 hours before the airplane left St John’s for Florida I had been experiencing a troubling day but I wasn’t sure why.

Just after supper that day I realized that I was much more concerned about Terri’s plight than I had realized. After two weeks or more listening to and watching the in depth media coverage and my own intense inquiries into her circumstances for more than a month, I think it had gradually, and subtly, forced me to a point of decision. Was I just going to let the tragedy happen, let it continue without a murmur? What could I do anyway? She could die before I even get there, I thought. I’ve left it so late, too late to do anything. And who am I, a Canadian, so far away?

As my evening progressed from this point of climax I spent several hours thinking to find a reason not to bring a drink of water to Terri in Florida. But I could find no good reason not to go, no good reason to allow a great travesty of justice to continue without lifting a finger. It was obvious that the countless prayers of thousands of people had not prevailed and my continued silence would accomplish nothing as well. Terri was being starved to death, and all the world was doing was watching. How could this be happening? The whole world seemed powerless to stop it.

God rest your soul Terri Schindler-Schiavo.