On december 22, 2012 Lydia Cassaro's 22 year old unmarried son slipped into a coma and was pronounced to be brain dead. She requested that the hospital delay his removal from life support until she could get to the hospital and until she could obtain a second opinion or an independent medical evaluation. Lydia had raised her son without his father's involvement at anytime from the time he was 1 1/2 years old until he reached the age of 18. Except Rocky did visit his father during one summer when he was 16 years old. He also stayed with him for a few months after he left the military. But they didnt really get along..
The hospital not only allowed his father to make all of the decisions regarding the removal of his life support, but refused to even speak to the mother further about her son. She was in Florida and trying desperately to get to her son in Illinois. Even though his father had rarely been a part of this young man's life he was given full control of the situation without any regard to the mother's wishes in the matter.
In fact according to Rocky's fiance his father has now set up a website to take donations and is trying to prosper from his son's death
This young man was also an organ donor who had no insurance and since that was the case they removed him from life support against his mothers wishes within a few short hours, Fully knowing that she was requesting that they not do so and telling them she was coming there.
No parent in this situation should ever have his or her wishes disregarded like this. If an unmarried minor or adult child is on life support without a DNR regardless of being an organ donor or whether or not the absent parent lives in another state should ever be hurriedly taken off of life support on the word or request of only one surviving parent. When one of the parents is in disagreement the parent that wants to have a second opinion or an independent medical exam should have the right to do so before any life ending measures can be taken.
