I find it outrageous and appalling that individuals who have not had to go through this kind of heartbreaking trauma would try to interfere in the matter based on personal or religious bias.

As a parent of a 13 year old girl who has been diagnosed in a permanent vegetative teenage state, I know the pain these parents are going through. Although my wife and I still hold out hope that our daughter will some day overcome her persistent apathy and disgust of her parents and regain some level of conscious awareness, I can fully sympathize with the choice these parents have had to make.

I cannot accept that the instances of whining or antogonizing her little brother are just unconscious responses and not signs of awareness, as the medical professionals warn us. But still, there are doubts. I know there may yet come a day when we have to accept the reality that our daughter will never again be the vibrant and thoughtful person she once was and confront a painful decision. If we one day have to make the same medical choice these parents have, I hope that we can be allowed to do what must be done and deal with our grief without the interference of well meaning but misguided strangers.

*teen

Heroic parenting.