A woman grieves after hearing that Terri Schiavo had died at Woodside hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida. Schiavo, the severely brain damaged woman at the centre of an acrimonious right-to-die controversy that even drew in the US president, died almost two weeks after her feeding tube was cut off. (AFP/Roberto Schmidt)

Pinellas Park, Fla.—After 14 days without food or water, Terri Schiavo died around 9:05 Thursday morning—moments after her parents issued an emotional plea to be at her hospice bedside in her final moments of life.

Terri’s husband and legal guardian, Michael Schiavo, denied the Schindler family’s final request to be with Terri as she took her last breath.

But they saw her later: “Bobby, Suzanne, Mary and Bob are in there now at Terri’s bedside. They were denied access at the moment of her death,” said Brother Paul O’Donnell, a family spokesman, who announced Terri’s death to the press.

It was one of many requests denied the family in a two-week flurry of legal motions, all aimed at keeping Terri alive.

The case has galvanized national debate about end-of-life issues and constitutional issues involving the legislative and judicial branches.

The Schindler family will make a statement later today, O’Donnell told a somber crowd gathered outside the hospice.

David Gibbs, the Schindler family’s attorney, said while Terri’s family is “heartsick,” it is also a sad day for the nation.

But the Schindlers’ faith in God remains “consistent and strong,” he said. “They are absolutely convinced that God loves Terri more than they do. They believe that Terri is now ultimately at peace with God himself, and they intend to comfort themselves with their faith and their family at this time.”

Gibbs asked the media to give the Schindlers the privacy to grieve. “This is a very difficult day,” he said.

Father Frank Pavone, the national director of Priests for Life, said he and the Schindlers were with Terri until ten minutes before her death—until Michael Schiavo arrived and asked them to leave the room.

Father Pavone condemned Michael Schiavo’s “heartless cruelty” in refusing to let the family be with Terri when she died.

“This is not only a death. This is a killing,” Father Pavone said. He said the nation must pray that such a thing never happens again.

Final plea

At 9 a.m. Thursday, Brother O’Donnell announced that Terri’s final hours were at hand, and that her parents were making a final request to Michael Schiavo: “They’re pleading to be at Terri’s bedside. She may die within the next couple hours. They want to remain in there, even if it’s just to sit in a chair next to Michael Schiavo,” O’Donnell said.

“Right now, the family is requesting that they be allowed to be at Terri’s bedside, but they are being denied,” Paul O’Donnell said. “As you can imagine, they are very, very, very upset.”

Schindler Family Statement

(Editor’s note: Paul O’Donnell, a member of the Franciscan Brothers of Peace and spiritual adviser to the Schindler family, provided the following to the Cybercast News Service Sr. Staff Writer Jeff Johnson, reporting from Pinellas Park, Fla.)

“The events of this morning, while Bobby Schindler and Suzanne Schindler Vitadamo were in the room with Terri, are highly distressing. At the time they expected this to be at the end of Terri’s life, but they did not know how much time was left. At the end of the hour’s visit, the police came in and told them that they had to leave. At that point, they pleaded with the police - the police were acting under the orders of Michael Schiavo - that Michael allow them to stay in the room as Terri was about to pass away. They were begging to be in the room even with Michael with them so they could be there for her last moments. Their pleadings were passed onto Michael, and Michael denied their request. At that point they were ordered to leave the room. They were again begging and pleading to be allowed to stay. The police were under orders to threaten to arrest them. They not only escorted them out of the room, but also off the hospice property. Within ten minutes, it was reported that Terri passed away.” According to a spokesperson for the Schindler family, Terri Schiavo died at 9am Eastern Thursday.