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Continuing to demonstrate what one board certified psychiatrist described as pathologically controlling behavior, Michael Schiavo says in an interview to be broadcast on “Dateline” Sunday, March 26, that his book “Terri: The Truth” settles some scores rather than honors his deceased wife, Terri Schindler-Schiavo.
A year ago today, Terri Schiavo was struggling for her life after her estranged husband had removed all nutrition and hydration from her by court order in order to kill the brain injured woman. She died at age 41 on March 31, 2005, in a horrific, barbaric death by dehydration over 13 days.
Michael Schiavo continues to insist that Terri would have wanted to die that way.
In his interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer which will air at 7 p.m. EST Sunday, March 26 on NBC’s “Dateline”, Schiavo says it’s his turn to talk and continues to insists that Terri had wanted to die, telling Lauer that “she’s up there praising me right now….and saying thank you”.
Schiavo openly exhibits his animus for his former in-laws, Mary and Robert Schindler who he battled in the courts for nearly a decade, trying to end the life of their daughter, and he says he wasn’t “gonna let anyone stand in my way”.
Michael Schiavo makes a point of saying that he hates Bobby Schindler, Terri’s brother. In the last minutes of Terri’s life, Schiavo ordered Bobby and Terri’s sister, Suzanne from her room and then from the hospice property and refused to let her siblings or her parents be with her when she died.
On Feb. 14, 1993, an argument ensued at the nursing home room of Terri, between Michael Schiavo and Terri’s father when her father pressed Schiavo when he was going to fulfill his promise made during the malpractice trial of 1992 to provide their daughter with rehabilitation. As soon as he received the money, Michael Schiavo had ordered that all rehabilitation end and put a do-not-resuscitate order on her.
Although less than three months earlier, over $1 million had been awarded in a malpractice case plus $750,000 specifically earmarked by the jury for Terri’s rehabilitation, Schiavo told the Schindlers there was no money. He told them he was making all the decisions, that they had nothing to say about their daughter and told them if he had anything to do with it, they would never see their daughter again.
Thereafter, he embarked on a 12-year campaign of hate and malice against the Schindlers and Terri, denying them access to her medical records and information about her, refusing to allow them to take photographs, dictating when they could visit, even denying them access to their daughter as she lay dying on March 31, 2005, still maintaining total control of them and their daughter’s life.
Schiavo and his new wife, Jodi, who he lived with out of wedlock for 10 years or more but yet maintaining that he was abiding by his wedding vows and refusing to divorce Terri, will appear together for the “Dateline” interview.
According to a promo piece at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11943750/ , Schiavo is going to push his new book and his claim of what happened the night that Terri collapsed under still unexplained circumstances and will apparently try to convince viewers that he has been telling the “truth” for the past 16 years.
Excerpts from the interview as advertised at the msnbc website follow:
On his book, “Terri: The Truth”
Matt Lauer, NBC News: I guess you could’ve written a book to honor Terri. After reading it, it’s not really the book you wrote. This is a book that in some ways settles some scores, doesn’t it?
Michael Schiavo: Oh yes it does.
Lauer: You did think about writing that a book that honored Terri?
Schiavo: Oh yes. Many times. I mean this book does honor Terri in a way. It sets her free. It tells the truth.
On allegations that he waited to call 911 after Terri collapsed on Feb. 25, 1990
Schiavo: They’re wrong. I heard the thud. Ran to Terri. Called after that little gasp, I mean, it was within a minute I was on the phone with 911. They can think whatever.
On his marriage to Jodi
People have often asked. Michael why didn’t you divorce Terri, you were living with Jodi.
Michael Schiavo: Why do I have to divorce Terri? Terri wasn’t like a football— an inanimate object you pass back and forth. She was my wife. You mean because your wife gets sick, do you give her back?
I would think so much less of Michael had he walked away from her. That is one of the qualities in him that I so admire. That up against everything...he stuck by her...
On his decision to remove Terri’s feeding tube in the face of pressure from the Vatican and the American public
Schiavo: Yeah, well I guess when it all boiled down, I couldn’t understand why these people were so passionate about my life... People are allowed to die every day. Feeding tubes are removed every day.
Lauer: Did you think at all at that point - and I think Jodi even came to you one day and said, “Give it up.”
Schiavo: I couldn’t. I couldn’t. You know, my parents, they raised me to be a fighter. And I was doing something that Terri wanted. And I couldn’t give it up on her. I came this far. And I wasn’t gonna let anybody stand in my way.
On hs decision not to let Terri’s brother in the hospital room to say a final goodbye
Schiavo: I didn’t want the animosity. I didn’t want the feelings. I didn’t want the aura that Bobby and I, you know, we hate each other.
Lauer: Do you think, Michael, in that last minute, Bobby’s in the hallway; he wants to come in—her brother. You’re walking into the room. Did you stop and think, “What would Terri want?” Would she want her brother or sister?
Schiavo: I’m sure Terri would want the families to get along and be happy. But it didn’t happen. I had to get to Terri. I had seconds then. Seconds. I got into her room, and I could see that she’d changed, like that.
On if the promise he is convinced he is honoring was as important to Terri
Schiavo: She’s up there praising me right now... and saying thank you
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11943750/ 3-21-06
© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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