ALEXANDRIA, VA — Susan Torres, the brain-dead Virginia woman whose plight attracted the sympathy of the international community, has given birth to a healthy baby girl. Born at 8:18 am Wednesday, Susan Anne Catherine Torres was delivered by Caesarean section, weighing just 1 pound, 13 ounces.
26-year-old Susan Torres Sr., a vaccine researcher and mother of a two-year-old son, Peter, collapsed on May 7 of this year from advanced stages of melanoma. Having been pronounced brain-dead at the time with no hope of recovery, her husband Jason Torres chose to continue to artificially keep his wife alive until the child in her womb could develop to viability.
Jason had repeatedly said in the past that they hoped to be able to wait until the 25th week of pregnancy before delivering the child, that being the likely earliest point the child could survive outside the womb. The risk of failure was high as at any point during the pregnancy Susan’s organs could have failed, or the cancer could have spread through the umbilical cord to her baby. The baby was delivered at just over 26 weeks.
A statement released by the family said that, “There were no complications during delivery. The baby is doing well and is being monitored in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Virginia Hospital Center.”
The birth of his child is bittersweet for Jason, who quit his job to spend countless hours with his wife at her hospital bedside, and who now has to face the imminent decision to turn off the machines that are keeping her alive. Jason also has a two year old son, Peter.
“With the news of little Susan's birth comes the immense grief that her mother, Susan, will soon leave us for her heavenly reward,” said Paul Chaim Schenck, executive director of the National Pro-Life Action Center and adviser to the Torres family.
“Her valiant struggle to survive long enough to deliver her baby daughter is a deeply moving illustration of the force of love and the sacredness of life,” Mr. Schenck said. He then offered a prayer for “the soul of Susan Torres,” that she may, “through the mercy of God, rest in peace. … Amen.”
So far, the Susan Torres Fund has collected $400,000 of the approximately $1 million in medical costs incurred during the latter part of the pregnancy. To donate to the fund go to www.susantorresfund.org.
Susan Torres Dies After Receiving the Last Sacraments of the Catholic Church
ARLINGTON, VA — After spending over twelve weeks hooked up to life-support in order that she might carry her baby to viability, 27-year-old Susan Torres, who has been medically brain-dead since collapsing from aggressive melanoma on May 7, has been given her final rest. Just one day after giving birth to Susan Anne Catherine Torres, Susan Torres Sr.’s life support was turned off after she received the Last Sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church.
“He's hanging in,” said Justin Torres about his brother Jason, Susan’s husband. “It was a very difficult two days with a lot of ups and downs. But we knew for 12 weeks that yesterday was coming. That's still not enough time to prepare you. But he's hanging in. He's certainly very happy to see this baby.”
According to Dr. Christopher McCanus who cared for Susan, the baby had less than a 25% chance of making it. The further fear that Susan may have passed the melanoma to her baby through the placenta has also been alleviated.
“She's a beautiful baby,” said Dr. Donna Tilden-Archer in an interview on The Early Show. “I checked in on her this morning. And she's breathing on her own. And she's only requiring a very small amount of oxygen. She was sleeping on her tummy very peacefully, doing quite well.”
Jason Torres issued a statement, saying: “We thank all of those who prayed and provided support for Susan, the baby and our family. We especially thank God for giving us little Susan. My wife's courage will never be forgotten.”
(This update courtesy of LifeSiteNews.com.)
