Bobby Schindler is the President of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network which upholds human dignity through service to the medically vulnerable. The Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network was the 2009-2010 recipient of the Gerard Health Life Prizes Award.
The only son of Bob and Mary Schindler, Bobby was born and raised just outside of Philadelphia with his sisters, Terri and Suzanne. After his graduation from LaSalle University with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing, Bobby went on to obtain a degree in meteorology from Florida State University. He is currently studying for his Certificate in Catholic Health Care Ethics through the National Catholic Bioethics Center and will continue towards earning an M.S. in Bioethics from the University of Mary.
Bobby’s life took a dramatic and unexpected turn in February 1990 when his older sister, Terri, suddenly collapsed and was left with a cognitive disability. When Terri’s estranged husband sought court permission to starve and dehydrate her to death, Bobby was propelled into a life he’d never imagined. He spoke in defense of Terri’s life on numerous national television and radio programs including Hannity & Colmes, Larry King Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Bill O’Reilly Show, The Glenn Beck Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show, Dateline NBC, The 700 Club, EWTN and many others.
Following Terri’s tragic death, Bobby gave up his teaching job at Tampa Catholic High School and became a full-time pro-life and disability rights advocate. Today, Bobby through the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, assists families in need of legal help to prevent their loved ones from health care rationing, and food and water removal. The Life & Hope Network has provided resources and support to over 2,000 families and has been involved in hundreds of cases helping to protect persons who are facing life-threatening situations.
Bobby has spoken in 44 states; at 29 universities, colleges and medical schools; and in nine countries, giving a firsthand account of Terri’s story, which has been largely misrepresented by the media. Schindler’s articles on food and hydration, assisted suicide, the bioethics movement, medical ethics, and end-of-life issues have appeared nationally in The Wall Street Journal, The Linacre Quarterly, The Human Life Review, TIME, Chicago Tribune, The Daily Caller, Newsmax.com, LifeNews.com, and Townhall.com.
Bobby has been asked to testify before state legislatures in Florida, Louisiana, California, Kentucky, Ohio, and has addressed Members of Parliament in Canada and Australia concerning the protection of the medically vulnerable. He and his family have also authored the book A Life That Matters (2006), regarding their 13 year struggle to care for his sister. Bobby also co-hosted on America’s Lifeline a weekly radio program that covered such topics as euthanasia, futile care, and assisted suicide.
Bobby is a board member of Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati and is on the advisory board of New York Right to Life.
Bobby Schindler’s presentation: “Should the time of our death be our decision or God’s?” is available below:
