Golubchuk Passes Away From Natural Causes -- Part One of Two

Editor's note. I think you will enjoy Part Two: "Shining the Light on Obama's Abortion Extremism."

We've written several times, most recently earlier this week, about the plight of 84-year-old Samuel Golubchuk. This morning a friend passed a story along reporting that Mr. Golubchuk passed away of natural causes Tuesday night

He was at the epicenter of an all-too-typical debate. The local medical types wanted to remove him from life support, his family vigorously disagreed, and (not so typically) won a temporary reprieve from a local judge, according to the Winnipeg Free Press.

Depending on the source, Golubchuk, an Orthodox Jew, was either in a "minimal conscious state" or "aware of what was going on but simply unable to express himself," as the Free Press paraphrased the family's position.

Last November the hospital took the position that "the decision to remove him from life support ought to be made solely by treating physicians, not the courts," according to the Canadian Jewish News. "However, [Judge Perry] Schulman ruled that, on the contrary, in a situation where doctors make a decision to remove a patient's life support without the family's consent, there is a role for the courts to play in adjudicating the factual and legal issues in dispute."

Judge Schulman ordered that Golubchuk was to have full medical care, adding that a copy of the court order "be attached to Golubchuk's medical chart to ensure that every doctor, nurse and health care worker properly abide by it."

At the time Golubchuk's son, Percy, told reporters, "This decision isn't just for my dad, but for every elderly or handicapped person. It's not just a decision for a Jewish person, but for everyone." And then he added, "Doctors don't always know everything. God is the top doctor. Doctors are just his assistants."

Please send your comments to daveandrusko@hotmail.com. 

See "Shining the Light on Obama's Abortion Extremism."