Accept Your Gift from the Cruzan Family
Remember Nancy Cruzan?
Nancy died ten years ago this December. This reminds us of
what Nancy and her family went through. And gives a chance
to thank them for how they helped the rest of us.
The Accident
On January 11, 1983, 25 year-old Nancy Cruzan lost control
of her car on an icy Missouri road. The vehicle overturned
and Nancy was found face down in a ditch. Emergency personnel
resuscitated her, after she had not been breathing for an
estimated 12-14 minutes. She arrived at the hospital unconscious.
Rehabilitation efforts were of no avail. Nancy remained unconscious,
being fed through a feeding tube.
Eight Years of Anguish
After more than four years of unconsciousness and tube feeding,
Nancy’s parents requested that tube feeding be stopped. They
believed that Nancy would not wish to be kept alive in such
circumstances.
As difficult as the situation had been, the request for withdrawal
of tube feeding triggered additional years of anguish for
the family — including public attention, debate and attacks
against them.
The care facility refused to stop treatment, and the Cruzans
went to court to obtain permission to withdraw the feeding
tube. The case worked its way through the Missouri courts,
and up to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In its landmark decision, the Supreme Court held in effect
that the wishes expressed by Nancy as to medical treatment
must be respected.
The case was returned to the Missouri courts for a determination
of what Nancy’s wishes actually were. After further testimony,
the Missouri courts found that there was enough evidence to
conclude that Nancy would wish the feeding tube be withdrawn.
With the court’s order, the feeding tube was withdrawn and
Nancy died a few days later in December 1990 — almost eight
years after Nancy’s accident.
The Gift
What did the Cruzan family’s years of anguish give us? Laws
in California and elsewhere were changed so that each of us
can avoid a similar fate for ourselves, and our families and
friends.
How do you do this? It’s fairly simple, and involves two
steps:
