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Bobby Shindler Remembers Sister Terri Schiavo on Anniversary of Her Death

March 31, 2016
Jon Boldt

Writer

March 31st, 2005. A woman in Florida was starved to death by her husband.

Glenn was originally on the wrong side of this battle. Before he moved to Florida, he'd never heard the name of Terri Schiavo. When he learned her story, he didn't put much forth much thought before coming out in favor of the "free Terri Schiavo from her suffering" point of view.

Glenn’s Transformation

A listener called during Glenn's radio program with a special request.

"Glenn, I want you to really think about these particular things this weekend," the caller said.

After really doing his homework and really thinking about it, Glenn came back on the air the following Monday with a change of heart.

"I'm on the wrong side," Glenn said. "We have to change."

This was in direct conflict with the prevailing notion at the radio station that Glenn should just "shut up" and not say anything about it. Just leave it alone. But the thought if remaining silent kept Glenn awake at night. He felt compelled to tell the truth.

Remembering Terri

Terri Schaivo's brother, Bobby Schindler, joined Glenn on radio Thursday, discussing memories of the difficult time they shared together.

"We fought alongside with the Schindler family for many years and tried to be a voice nationally after we were picked up nationally for people in Terri's condition. And there's a lot of them. She eventually was starved to death," Glenn said.

"Since that time, I can't tell you the number of people that have been in Terri's exact situation that have revived out of the coma, that for no reason --- doctors don't understand it, and they talk about how they were present and they heard everything in the room."

Despite their own painful experience, the family they took what happened on March 31st, 2005 and became a voice for the voiceless, working to uphold human dignity for those who are medically vulnerable through the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network.

Glenn said he thinks this is going to become more and more important as we progress through technology and understanding what life really is.

More from Glenn's interview below.

Memorial Mass

GLENN: Are you having the Philadelphia dinner tonight?

BOBBY: Yes. We're having a memorial mass as we did last year. This year, we're going to have more of a cocktail-type reception following the mass, rather than a dinner. But we're getting a good turnout. And so we're excited. And obviously it's to, not only to remember Terri, Glenn, but also to remember, as you just said, you know, all the other vulnerable people out there that really are at risk of dying the same way Terri died.

GLENN: Which is a -- which is a horrible, horrible way to die. I mean, starving people to death, not giving them food and water is cruel and unusual. I mean, it is -- it's beyond cruel.

BOBBY: Well, and for our family to have to walk in for two weeks and watch my sister die this way and watch my -- have to the experience, my parents having to watch their daughter die this way is something that I can probably never describe. And I got to tell you, Glenn, and I think I might have mentioned this to you before, but my dad died 2009. And he died really holding himself responsible for not being able to stop this madness, this insanity from happening to my sister.

Recognizing Those Still Fighting

GLENN: Bobby, tell me how many people in the country are going through this right now with their families?

BOBBY: Well, it's hard to know, Glenn, because there's a lot of dynamics involved. They're having a real strong push by those in the medical profession to convince people that the best thing to do, that people who have any types of brain injury -- and even others who are medically vulnerable -- to end their lives.

So we -- we just get calls from the families that are fighting against these types of determinations. And families that know we're out there in a position to help them with the resources we have.

So it's really hard to know, you know, how many families are experiencing this, the pressure to end certain treatment. But we do know this, we do know that with the changes in our health care system over the past ten, 20 years or longer than that, that hospitals are making decisions that are in the best interest of the hospital, rather than the best interest of the patient. And this is all, I believe, I think you would probably agree, that it's all money-driven.

And diagnoses are being made in a relatively short period of time to end life, without giving families and the patient a chance for any type of meaningful recovery. So the system -- I think you mentioned it in the beginning, I don't think people realize just how insidious people behind this issue, how much they are really controlling our health care system today and the medical treatment people will or will not receive.

Fighting For the Defenseless

GLENN: So, Bobby, what does the network do that you've started? What does your -- your charity do?

BOBBY: Well, after Terri's death, our family really recognized the need because of what happened with Terri and her battle. And really the arrogance of the people behind this issue and how relentless they are and the changes that they're making. So we wanted to really be the organization that we couldn't find when we were looking for help trying to defend Terri. And we really have built an enormous amount of resources.

So when families help us -- we've had an incredible amount (inaudible), whatever the situation might be, of stopping whatever it is that the hospital might be trying to do, as far as stopping treatment, we've been able to stop that process and be able to help these patients get the treatment that the families are trying to get for their loved ones.

GLENN: I met last year when I was up in Philadelphia with you, I met a family, a mom and a daughter that you guys had gotten involved with. And they were at the poor end of the scale of life. And the hospital just took over and wanted to kill -- I believe it was the son. Right?

BOBBY: Yeah. In fact, they're still dealing with that case, Glenn, believe it or not.

GLENN: Bobby, I have never seen a family endure what you guys did in the Schindler family. I have watched you over the years, and I've watched your family, and I have such profound respect for your mom and dad and your sister and you. And we just wanted you to know that we're thinking about you today. Today is Terri's Day, in honor of Terri Schiavo.

Getting Involved

And if you would like to get involved and you would like to find out more, go to lifeandhope.com/Beck. You can donate there to help. You can get involved. The biggest thing you can do -- if you know somebody that is in this situation, is connect with lifeandhope.com. If you care about this -- this is as important as abortion is, this is as important as the Nazarene Fund is, we don't crucify people for their religious belief, we don't kill babies in the womb, and we certainly don't kill people that we think have an inferior life. We don't let these hospitals and these insurance companies make this kind of decision for people, when the families are there fighting for them.

Featured Image: Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network Facebook page

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

JEFF KOWALSKY / Contributor | Getty Images

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.