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Schiavo memorial exhorts hundreds to go forward

"We are with you," the Schindlers are told at their memorial service for daughter and sister Terri Schiavo.

By GRAHAM BRINK
Published April 6, 2005

	[Times photo: Bob Croslin]
	After tears, Bobby Schindler held up a Purple Heart sent by a Vietnam War veteran who said Terri Schiavo was killed by U.S. enemies and deserved the award.

GULFPORT - The Rev. Frank Pavone asked a packed church on Tuesday night to honor the memory of Terri Schiavo by going forth and building a "culture of life."

Pavone, to much applause, emphasized that all life is sacred, that all lives have meaning, no matter what form they come in.

"God calls on us to go forth from this place to work together, to preach and witness together," Pavone boomed, a bank of Easter lilies behind him, "so what happened in this tragic case will never happen again."

Pavone and several other speakers elicited applause, even standing ovations, from the 700 people who overflowed onto the steps outside the Most Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church for Schiavo's memorial service.

Schiavo died Thursday, 13 days after the court-ordered removal of her feeding tube. Her plight, and the struggle between her husband and her family, made headlines around the world and drew hundreds of strangers in the past few weeks to the Pinellas Park hospice where she eventually died.

None of the speakers mentioned Michael Schiavo, the husband who argued for years that his wife would not have wanted to be kept alive, given the brain injuries she sufferred. Terri was referred to by her maiden name, Terri Schindler, throughout the service.

Many in attendance Tuesday had never met Terri Schiavo. They came in support of her family. "I know I speak for millions when I say to you tonight four simple words," Pavone said to the Schindler family seated in the front row. "We are with you."

Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler, had trouble beginning his rememberence to his sister. After choking back tears, he held up a Purple Heart sent to the family by a Vietnam War veteran. The sender indicated that Schiavo was killed by enemies of the United States, and thus, deserved the award, Schindler said to a standing ovation.

Suzanne Vitadamo, Terri Schiavo's sister, turned to her mother and said she ached for her the most. She praised Schiavo for setting an example of how to fight.

"You have shown the world what perseverance and determination are all about," Vitadamo said.

Radio talk show host Glenn Beck, who in recent years has supported the Schindlers' fight to keep Schiavo alive, stopped repeatedly to wipe away tears as he spoke to the congregation.

He focused on how Schiavo's case brought together a mix of supporters that spanned the political spectrum. Republican U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay and conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh were on the same side as liberal activist and actor Susan Sarandon and former Democratic presidential contender Jesse Jackson, Beck pointed out.

"Terri is performing her first miracle," Beck said.

Schiavo's body was cremated after an autopsy. A court order gave Michael Schiavo control of his wife's body, though he must inform her parents of any memorial services and the location of the cemetery. The court order does not say how much notice Michael Schiavo has to give the Schindler family. He has said he will bury his wife's remains in a plot in Pennsylvania. "The (Schindler) family is basically at the mercy of (Mr. Schiavo) showing kindness," the Schindlers' lawyer, David Gibbs III, said before attending the service. "If he chooses to inflict additional pain, that's his choice."

Times staff writer Tom Zucco contributed to this report. Graham Brink can be reached at 727 893-8406 or brink@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 6, 2005, 01:50:53]