"Theresa Marie Schindler Schiavo took her last breath unaware of the firestorm raging outside the tranquil hospice where she had lived for the past five years.

"But her saga left a profound impression on the nation, sparking extraordinary attempts by politicians to keep her alive as they fought her husband over her fate.

"She left behind not only a shattered family but millions of vocal mourners from the Vatican to the streets outside her hospice. Yet, even as those mourners drew most of the attention, the vast majority of Americans believed she had the right to die.

"Perhaps most of all, her story was a lesson for countless people who never discussed, much less wrote down, what they would want if they were suddenly thrust into her tragic situation."

-- Maya Bell, Reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, published in the Kansas City Star.