Robert S. Schindler, the father of the late Terri Schindler Schiavo, died at age 71 on Saturday August 29, 2009. He lived in Gulfport, Florida and had died of heart failure. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 23, 1937. He was of German descent. He grew up and lived in Pennsyvania most of his life until 1986. In January 1963, he married his present widow, Mary and had three children. The eldest and most famous was Terri Schiavo, born on December 3, 1963. Bobby Jr. was born in 1965 and Suzanne Vitadamo was born in 1968. Suzanne and her husband Mike have one daugter Alexandra.
Schindler is known as the father of Terri Schiavo. Schiavo had a cardiac arrest on February 25, 1990 and as a result of a lack of oxygen going to her brain, she was brain damaged and had to be fed with a feeding tube for the rest of her life. She never could talk since she suffered the cardiac rest and had to be taken care of for the rest of her life. She spent the last several years in a hospice until she died on March 31, 2005 at Pinellas Park, Florida. Some doctors had declared that Terri was in a "persistent vegetative state", even though that was disputed by some.
Schindler had been in a battle with Terri's husband Michael to keep Terri alive. Michael claimed that it was Terri's wishes to not be kept alive if she ever became helpless. However, Terri signed no contract nor will stating her wishes. Bob Schindler and his family fought Michael in court. They spent a decade fighting it in court. Terri's feeding tube was removed twice. The last time it was removed on March 18, 2005. She died 13 days later. The case had went from state court to appellate court. However, the state court ordered her feeding tube removed. The Schindlers took their case to Congress and even the Supreme Court. Congress even passed a bill with then President Bush's signature in order to try to circumvent the state court. However, the federal courts and the Supreme Court wouldn't overturn the state court to have the tube reinserted. As a result, Terri died on March 31, 2005.
Schindler was known as a dedicated compassionate family man. He and his wife raised their three children in Pennsylvania. They were devout Catholics and at one time he even comtemplated becoming a priest. The Schindlers sent their children to parochial schools. He used to run a business selling industrial supplies. The Schindlers were close to Terri and they all moved to Florida in 1986 three months after Terri and her husband moved there.
Robert Schindler was shaken when Terri suffered cardiac arrest, but he and his family faithfully visited Terri and did everything possible to keep her alive. David O'Steen, Executive Director of National Right to Life said that "He gave life to the phrase 'unconditional love'".
When Terri was still alive Robert Schindler would rally crowds in Washington D.C. He drew attention to the needs of those people that were in a persistent vegetative state or those that had to depend on a tube to survive. He was very active in promoting the right-to-life to those patients that were facing end-of-life decisions. Following Schiavo's death, Schindler and his family started the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation to help encourage those families that were going through similar circumstances the Schindlers went through with Terri. Schindler's son and daughter are very active in the Foundation and they go out on speaking engagements and even host a radio program. A public funeral will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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