‘God will raise her from the dead’

TERRI SCHIAVO’S death was met with sadness, anger, despair - and prayers - by supporters of her parents, who had battled the severely brain-damaged woman’s husband over the removal of her feeding tube.

Since March 18, when Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube was disconnected, a cadre of fervent demonstrators gathered outside Woodside Hospice to protest. Many slept in tents or sleeping bags, while others held signs and sang songs during their 13-day vigil.

In Washington, President George W Bush said he was saddened by Ms Schiavo’s death.

“The essence of civilisation is that the strong have a duty to protect the weak,” Mr Bush said. “In cases where there are serious doubts and questions, the presumption should be in favour of life.”

Yesterday morning, people burst into tears and threw down the signs they had been carrying as word spread that Ms Schiavo had died.

“You saw a murder happening”, said Dominique Hanks, who had ridden her motorised wheelchair around the hospice every day since the tube was removed.

“Everybody who denied her right to live are accomplices to murder, and God knows,” Ms Hanks said.

News of the death did not filter into the crowd until nearly an hour later, and protesters blowing ram’s horns and saying the rosary continued their vigil, not knowing that she already was dead.

Upon hearing the news, Patrick Bautch, of Milwaukee, disgustedly tossed away a sign that said “President Bush, Please Help Terri.”

“He could have done something,” Mr Bautch said. “He was supposed to be for life and he neglected his role ... the value of human life has just gone down the drain.”

A few feet away, a small group burst into hymns, singing the traditional song, ‘How Great Thou Art’, as Richard Jacobson, of Corning, New York, accompanied them on a tarnished trumpet.

Mr Jacobson, who has been playing religious and patriotic music outside the hospice for the past three days, said he didn’t really believe that Terri was dead.

“I’m not believing the report of man,” he said. “God will raise her from the dead, and all the world will see it.”

After the announcement, Mike Stafford, of Hollywood, Florida, stood before police - who had arrested over 50 people trying to bring water to Ms Schiavo - gave the Nazi salute and shouted “Heil Hitler.”

Harvest Bashta, 15, of Chicago, sat on the grass outside the hospice, her face buried in her hands, tears rolling down her arms and splashing on the open pages of her Bible. After hearing of the death, she said the passage, “whose report shall we believe” kept running through her mind.

“I just don’t want to believe it, but if it is true, it is a very sad day for our nation,” said the student.

“It grieves my heart to know that God’s heart is grieving. God’s desire’s is never to have death happen unjustly,” Bashta said.

Kathy Dorrell, 33, from Temple, Georgia, has been at the hospice since Saturday with her husband and baby daughter. “I know Terri has a new life, a new body. She’s singing, she’s dancing, she’s praising God,” Ms Dorrell said.