In February of 1990, 26 year old Terry Schiavo collapsed at home. Fifteen years later, on March 31, 2005, Mrs. Schiavo died. In between those two events, there are few undisputed facts, as highlighted in this account. Just as this case moved from an intensely personal one to an explosively political one, the issues surrounding end of life decisions are still under intense debate. Just yesterday, the Nashville news station WSMV Channel 4 featured a story on prominent Tennessean John Jay Hooker and his latest cause.
Radio host and media mogul Glenn Beck featured a story of a man who had been a coma for 12 years who recovered and related how he was aware of everything happening.
The issues surrounding these stories are important. As an estate planning attorney, I discuss these issues with my clients and urge them to not take these issues lightly. These three stories demonstrate the raw humanity of these circumstances and the importance of deeply considering the questions raised and expressing your decisions clearly and in a legally enforceable way.