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Terri: The Truth
Terri Schiavo's husband describes his wife's collapse, the years of care for her up to her death, the reasons why he fought for her right to die, and how he felt justified in having two children with another woman while Terri was still alive.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 27, 2006
41 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Michael Schiavo
1 book2 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 24, 2011
This is a fascinating read of Michael Schiavo's 12 year journey through the courts and medical system in order to allow his brain dead wife Terri to die with dignity when all hope of recovery and a meaningful life is lost. If this wasn't a true life story it would read like unbelievable fiction.
As this is Michaels story I would like to read in their own words Terri’s parents side of the story in order to get a balanced view.
As this is Michaels story I would like to read in their own words Terri’s parents side of the story in order to get a balanced view.
April 10, 2011
At the time, I wanted to 'save' the life of Terri and I called my Representative and urged the retaining of her feeding tube. When I came across the book, in the library these many years later, I decided to read it. I am somewhat ashamed that I got caught up in the issue that really did turn into a carnival atmosphere. Although I could never be 100% certain of the circumstances, Michael Schiavo appears to have loved this woman and did his best immediately afterward to care, visit and be an active participant in her recovery up to and until he realized it was hopeless. Good book but it took a long time for me to get through it.
March 28, 2015
Excellent book. Fascinating from ethical and medical standpoint. Learned a lot about this case as well how the appellate system can be used to obstruct justice. I could not believe the blatant lies by the parents and their supporters, how Jeb Bush used this for political gain (going to the extreme to create an unconstitutional law) and then congress trying to create the same as a federal law! It's so reviling to see what greed can do. I have nothing but respect for Schiavo's lawyers and his devotion to his wife. Time and time again this was in court, and every time Schiavo won.
However, by using the appeals process, Terri was in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years before her feeding tube was removed. The media's role in this is absolutely terrible. Just last week read a new op Ed in WSJ by Terri's brother filled with lies, and praising Jeb Bush. This would never have gone on so long without that publicity. Highly recommend this book, as it is educational on ethical, medical, political and legal levels. Great book club option, as it fuels a lot of deep discussion.
However, by using the appeals process, Terri was in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years before her feeding tube was removed. The media's role in this is absolutely terrible. Just last week read a new op Ed in WSJ by Terri's brother filled with lies, and praising Jeb Bush. This would never have gone on so long without that publicity. Highly recommend this book, as it is educational on ethical, medical, political and legal levels. Great book club option, as it fuels a lot of deep discussion.
January 27, 2018
There are two sides to every story. I read Terri's family's side of this story and I wanted to read Michael's story. This story made headlines and everyone watched and everyone had strong feelings and emotions about this one. I wanted to hear his side and have those moments that I had when I read her family's story...that moment of, "Oh wow, I never thought about that."
With Michael's story I didn't have those moments as I had hoped for instead I had, "WOW! What a master manipulator!!" Starting on page one his narcissism is on full display. I personally have a difficult time believing that within two weeks of Terri's hospitalization that Terri's father said that Michael, his own daughter's HUSBAND "needed to go out and get laid." (page 28)
I've known two master manipulators in my life to challenge these people means certain retaliation. Michael Schiavo tells his story as only a true narcissist could. His attempt to manipulate his audience of readers falls short and his hated for Terri and the Schindlers (her family) is clearly on display.
With Michael's story I didn't have those moments as I had hoped for instead I had, "WOW! What a master manipulator!!" Starting on page one his narcissism is on full display. I personally have a difficult time believing that within two weeks of Terri's hospitalization that Terri's father said that Michael, his own daughter's HUSBAND "needed to go out and get laid." (page 28)
I've known two master manipulators in my life to challenge these people means certain retaliation. Michael Schiavo tells his story as only a true narcissist could. His attempt to manipulate his audience of readers falls short and his hated for Terri and the Schindlers (her family) is clearly on display.
May 29, 2014
The meaning of true love. Michael for Terri and Jodi for Michael. Amazing.
February 18, 2008
I read this in conjunction with Mark Furman's book "Silent Witness" which I thought was a hatchet job on Micheal. I was impressed with Michael's account of events both before and after Terri suffered brain damage. He talks about attempts to rehabilitate Terri, his decision to end her life and the many court battles that followed. His description of the Christian Conservatives protesting outside the hospice while there were dying people inside I thought was particularly interesting in when considering the current "culture wars".
February 18, 2015
While it didn't bring me to my knees with grief and sorrow, it was emotional. I didn't particularly enjoy the way it was written. It was like he was still that age... like he wanted me to be a child with him who he was sharing story time with. More effective to me would have been to tell it to me from one adult to another. Good book though and, as always, with any review of books with these subjects, I always admire the strength of any author who heals through writing. There is power in release of trauma and to be commended no matter the style.
March 23, 2012
To be fair, I am trying to read both sides of this story. It has been tough getting through this book, I'll post more once I am through reading.
March 15, 2011
interesting to read the history and background after hearing about it on the news.
April 16, 2017
Eye-opening and heartbreaking.
April 10, 2016
A compelling story of valid reasons to have a "Living Will".
July 23, 2022
I vaguely remember when this happened, but I was only 15 at the time of Terri's death. Michael's persistent fight to fulfill Terri's wishes is a master class in dedication.
September 24, 2024
THE HUSBAND OF TERRI SCHIAVO TELLS HIS SIDE OF THE STORY
He wrote in the Preface to this 2006 book, “This is a story I never wanted to tell. I’m a very private person… The story you’re about to read begins in my twenty-first year and goes through my forty-second It starts when I was … someone who was about to fall in love for the first time with one woman, and ends with my public, legal, and religious proclamation of love and fidelity to another woman, to the mother of our two children, Jodi Centonze…
"This book had been written with the presumption that you know the headlines of the tragedy of Terri Schiavo, who lived for fifteen years in a persistent vegetative state… In these pages, you’ll learn new things about WHAT happened, and many more details about WHY. By now you know that one of the most thorough autopsies ever performed in the state of Florida… put the lie to the constant din of the Schindler family and their faith-based, moralist supporters claiming that Terri had cognition… The autopsy report… proved… She would have never gotten better; not even a little bit. She had no cognition. She could not hear. She could not see. She could not feel pain. There was no doubt whatsoever.” (Pg. xi-xii)
He states, “My family is Lutheran, but not especially religious. Terri was Catholic, and there was no question that Terri and I would be married in a Catholic church, although don’t jump to the conclusion that her family were practicing Catholics… they attended Mass on Easter and Christmas; that’s it. As for me not being Catholic and getting married in the church---it wasn’t a problem as long as … we agreed to raise our children Catholic.
"Once the whole Schindler-Schiavo dispute turned into a war, all sorts of distortions began to fly around. One of them was that the Schindlers were devoutly Catholic… my sister-in-law Joan knew Terri best. She said on the subject of the Schindlers’ religiosity, ‘The Schindlers never went to church on Sunday. They never even had a crucifix or statue in the house. Terri never spoke to me about religion… they were not religious people at all.’” (Pg. 14-15)
He says of her condition, “If you went into the room and you made a clucking noise, Terri’s head would turn toward it. If you kept doing it but on the other side of the bed, Terri would still look in the other direction… I learned that it meant her brain stem still had reflexes. Her ears worked, but… she didn’t really HEAR. If you walked into her room and clapped your hands loudly, she had a startle response. She may even have turned her head toward the sound. She would do the same thing on a very random basis with human voices. But she wasn’t HEARING. It was a reflex---just like blinking her eyes was a reflex. She had no idea what she was turning her head toward---or why.” (Pg. 38-39)
He argues, “The drinker has to bear some responsibility for drinking. Terri made a choice---not an altogether rational one---to lose weight in the unhealthiest way imaginable. So she had some responsibility for her actions…” (Pg. 61) He says about the Schindler family, “They claimed I wanted Terri to die so I could inherit her money, but didn’t acknowledge that I’d offered to donate that money to charity. They faulted me for not knowing Terri had an eating disorder [bulimia], but accepted no blame for not seeing it themselves. They encouraged me to date and get on with my life, and then called me an adulterer.” (Pg. 163-164)
He also acknowledges, “I had a NOT ROMANTIC relationship with a woman that began less than two years after Terri’s collapse. Where I come from, that’s called a close friendship, not adultery.” (Pg. 200)
He observes, “The day prior to the tube being removed, the Schindlers had held a news conference and released a video of Terri… Mr. Schindler ‘revealed Terri tried to convey to him she did not want to die by bolting upright and trying to get out of her chair when told she might be killed.’ … What I find really pathetic are the ignorant faithful out there who just eat that c__p up, read it like the gospel, and then send them money.” (Pg. 233-234) He concludes, “The Schindlers are the ones who forced us to turn the matter of Terri Schiavo over to the court and allow a judge to decide her fate… I couldn’t have ‘given back’ Terri to her parents if I’d wanted to.” (Pg. 290)
Whatever one’s perspective on the controversy, one might contrast this book with that of the family’s, 'A Life That Matters: The Legacy of Terri Schiavo.'
He wrote in the Preface to this 2006 book, “This is a story I never wanted to tell. I’m a very private person… The story you’re about to read begins in my twenty-first year and goes through my forty-second It starts when I was … someone who was about to fall in love for the first time with one woman, and ends with my public, legal, and religious proclamation of love and fidelity to another woman, to the mother of our two children, Jodi Centonze…
"This book had been written with the presumption that you know the headlines of the tragedy of Terri Schiavo, who lived for fifteen years in a persistent vegetative state… In these pages, you’ll learn new things about WHAT happened, and many more details about WHY. By now you know that one of the most thorough autopsies ever performed in the state of Florida… put the lie to the constant din of the Schindler family and their faith-based, moralist supporters claiming that Terri had cognition… The autopsy report… proved… She would have never gotten better; not even a little bit. She had no cognition. She could not hear. She could not see. She could not feel pain. There was no doubt whatsoever.” (Pg. xi-xii)
He states, “My family is Lutheran, but not especially religious. Terri was Catholic, and there was no question that Terri and I would be married in a Catholic church, although don’t jump to the conclusion that her family were practicing Catholics… they attended Mass on Easter and Christmas; that’s it. As for me not being Catholic and getting married in the church---it wasn’t a problem as long as … we agreed to raise our children Catholic.
"Once the whole Schindler-Schiavo dispute turned into a war, all sorts of distortions began to fly around. One of them was that the Schindlers were devoutly Catholic… my sister-in-law Joan knew Terri best. She said on the subject of the Schindlers’ religiosity, ‘The Schindlers never went to church on Sunday. They never even had a crucifix or statue in the house. Terri never spoke to me about religion… they were not religious people at all.’” (Pg. 14-15)
He says of her condition, “If you went into the room and you made a clucking noise, Terri’s head would turn toward it. If you kept doing it but on the other side of the bed, Terri would still look in the other direction… I learned that it meant her brain stem still had reflexes. Her ears worked, but… she didn’t really HEAR. If you walked into her room and clapped your hands loudly, she had a startle response. She may even have turned her head toward the sound. She would do the same thing on a very random basis with human voices. But she wasn’t HEARING. It was a reflex---just like blinking her eyes was a reflex. She had no idea what she was turning her head toward---or why.” (Pg. 38-39)
He argues, “The drinker has to bear some responsibility for drinking. Terri made a choice---not an altogether rational one---to lose weight in the unhealthiest way imaginable. So she had some responsibility for her actions…” (Pg. 61) He says about the Schindler family, “They claimed I wanted Terri to die so I could inherit her money, but didn’t acknowledge that I’d offered to donate that money to charity. They faulted me for not knowing Terri had an eating disorder [bulimia], but accepted no blame for not seeing it themselves. They encouraged me to date and get on with my life, and then called me an adulterer.” (Pg. 163-164)
He also acknowledges, “I had a NOT ROMANTIC relationship with a woman that began less than two years after Terri’s collapse. Where I come from, that’s called a close friendship, not adultery.” (Pg. 200)
He observes, “The day prior to the tube being removed, the Schindlers had held a news conference and released a video of Terri… Mr. Schindler ‘revealed Terri tried to convey to him she did not want to die by bolting upright and trying to get out of her chair when told she might be killed.’ … What I find really pathetic are the ignorant faithful out there who just eat that c__p up, read it like the gospel, and then send them money.” (Pg. 233-234) He concludes, “The Schindlers are the ones who forced us to turn the matter of Terri Schiavo over to the court and allow a judge to decide her fate… I couldn’t have ‘given back’ Terri to her parents if I’d wanted to.” (Pg. 290)
Whatever one’s perspective on the controversy, one might contrast this book with that of the family’s, 'A Life That Matters: The Legacy of Terri Schiavo.'
March 14, 2023
The infamous Terri Schiavo case rocked news stories around the world in the late 90's/early 00's. I don't think there's many people that don't know the back story, but in brief:
Terri was a 26 year old married woman , to Michael Schiavo, in Florida. She had an unexplained cardiac arrest and was left with an extreme brain injury. She lived in a care home. Rehabilitation was tried,. and she didn't benefit from it. Professionals said she would not improve, and would remain in a vegetative state on a feeding tube for an indeterminate amount of time.
Michael came to a point where, together with medical personnel, he decided Terri couldn't go on in this state, she had expressed verbally that she didn't want to remain in a state like that when she was well, and decided to have her feeding tube removed to allow her to die naturally. Her family, the Schindlers, vehemently disagreed, claiming that Terri was awake and responsive, that that would go against her Catholic beliefs and was something she never wanted. The court case blew up and everyone from the Pope to Jeb Bush to the guy next door seemed to have an opinion on it. What should have been a private family decision turned into a total media circus. The Schindlers slammed Michael for having a new relationship and children (Terri had been in this state for many years at that point) and made him out to be a villain who wanted to kill his wife to collect money.
Finally, after about 7 years, Terri's feeding tube was removed, and she died peacefully. An autopsy proved that her brain was atrophied and liquified, she likely had no cognitive awareness, and the "videos" the Schindlers released of her "reacting" were heavily edited and showed autonomic responses.
But this didn't change the Schindlers' mind. They operate a charity now that "helps" people in similar situations to Terri's, and still maintain that she was basically murdered by the State and her husband.
Many people agree, and have never bothered to hear Michael out.
This book does that.
Michael details his version of Terri's story, about how he loved her and wanted her to get well, but the professionals told him it was futile. He tried rehabilitation (contrary to what the parents said), he visited her often, he took her to appointments. Any money that he got from a lawsuit against Terri's doctor (as she may have had heart failure from anorexia) went largely into a trust for Terri's care. He wasn't getting rich off of her.
He also shows a whole new side to the Schindlers. He explains that they were never religious before, maybe going to Mass on Christmas, and Terri didn't go to church any more often than they did. Terri had also told Michael she'd never want to be kept alive as she was. He mentions that Terri's father was constantly asking him for money from the settlement, and that they had an amicable relationship until the money issue came up.
I know, this is from his perspective, but it rang truer than the info that was in the press. The medical reports also confirmed that the Schindlers were wrong about Terri being purposeful and reactive. She sadly wasn't.
Michael was vilified for being with a woman years after Terri's accident and having children. I think Terri would have wanted him to move on with his life.
Terri became a pawn in the right to life movement, and still is. I'm glad she is at peace now and can't see the circus that still continues. I hope Michael and his family are doing well, too.
Terri was a 26 year old married woman , to Michael Schiavo, in Florida. She had an unexplained cardiac arrest and was left with an extreme brain injury. She lived in a care home. Rehabilitation was tried,. and she didn't benefit from it. Professionals said she would not improve, and would remain in a vegetative state on a feeding tube for an indeterminate amount of time.
Michael came to a point where, together with medical personnel, he decided Terri couldn't go on in this state, she had expressed verbally that she didn't want to remain in a state like that when she was well, and decided to have her feeding tube removed to allow her to die naturally. Her family, the Schindlers, vehemently disagreed, claiming that Terri was awake and responsive, that that would go against her Catholic beliefs and was something she never wanted. The court case blew up and everyone from the Pope to Jeb Bush to the guy next door seemed to have an opinion on it. What should have been a private family decision turned into a total media circus. The Schindlers slammed Michael for having a new relationship and children (Terri had been in this state for many years at that point) and made him out to be a villain who wanted to kill his wife to collect money.
Finally, after about 7 years, Terri's feeding tube was removed, and she died peacefully. An autopsy proved that her brain was atrophied and liquified, she likely had no cognitive awareness, and the "videos" the Schindlers released of her "reacting" were heavily edited and showed autonomic responses.
But this didn't change the Schindlers' mind. They operate a charity now that "helps" people in similar situations to Terri's, and still maintain that she was basically murdered by the State and her husband.
Many people agree, and have never bothered to hear Michael out.
This book does that.
Michael details his version of Terri's story, about how he loved her and wanted her to get well, but the professionals told him it was futile. He tried rehabilitation (contrary to what the parents said), he visited her often, he took her to appointments. Any money that he got from a lawsuit against Terri's doctor (as she may have had heart failure from anorexia) went largely into a trust for Terri's care. He wasn't getting rich off of her.
He also shows a whole new side to the Schindlers. He explains that they were never religious before, maybe going to Mass on Christmas, and Terri didn't go to church any more often than they did. Terri had also told Michael she'd never want to be kept alive as she was. He mentions that Terri's father was constantly asking him for money from the settlement, and that they had an amicable relationship until the money issue came up.
I know, this is from his perspective, but it rang truer than the info that was in the press. The medical reports also confirmed that the Schindlers were wrong about Terri being purposeful and reactive. She sadly wasn't.
Michael was vilified for being with a woman years after Terri's accident and having children. I think Terri would have wanted him to move on with his life.
Terri became a pawn in the right to life movement, and still is. I'm glad she is at peace now and can't see the circus that still continues. I hope Michael and his family are doing well, too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2022
Most interesting part of the book for me was that he started wondering what Terri would want after a neurologist asked him, "Why do you let her live? She died three years ago." This question is coherent only if we die two deaths, one in our "mind or "person" and the other in our body. This dualism is even reflected on Terri's gravestone: born, 1963; departed, 1990; at peace, 2005.
Before this consideration, Terri's wishes about what she wanted about her treatment were not reported in the text. It's a tragic that no one seems to have brought this question up to Michael or her extended family when she was in the acute-care setting shortly after her arrest.
Before this consideration, Terri's wishes about what she wanted about her treatment were not reported in the text. It's a tragic that no one seems to have brought this question up to Michael or her extended family when she was in the acute-care setting shortly after her arrest.
January 8, 2018
Good book I have no idea why the President and the government the governor of Florida had to get into this personal tragedy. Her parents were no better. Because of them the entire amount they wanted to have (the parents) was spent to defend frivolous suits just because after 7 years of no change in his wife he decided to let her go. I wouldn't want one week like that they were very sure after two or so, she could never recover.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2021
Amazing book. Lots of resources included throughout the book. More in depth details of what actually happened beginning to end. Would reccomend to others, and would encourage anyone to complete advanced directives so others do not have to go through this.
April 9, 2025
Reading a husband's journey to honor his wife is terrifying. It is amazing the people who became involved that should not have had any say. I have now made my wishes clear to everyone who comes within walking distance of me.
July 7, 2019
Freaking incredible! So emotionally draining though it's so sad and beyond frustrating.
September 24, 2021
This book is proof we should avoid the media. You’ll be much closer to the truth.
February 21, 2013
Good read, self examination
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews