Around 4:30 PM (EST) this afternoon, Abraham Cherrix and his father joined talk show radio host Sean Hannity on the Sean Hannity Show. Below are some excerpts from the 10-minute segment. Abraham is scheduled to appear on FOX’s Hannity and Colmes this evening. The show starts at 9 PM (EST).
Throughout the interview Mr. Hannity made it clear that, while he would most likely go with conventional treatment if he were in Abraham’s place, he still admired, respected, and supported Abraham in his fight for alternative treatment. At the beginning of the segment, however, the conversation focused primarily on the details of today’s decision.
HANNITY: [Y]ou got a new decision that came out just earlier today.
ABRAHAM: Yes, we did. We got a very surprising decision and it was very good.
HANNITY: And that is that you do not have to report to this Norfolk hospital for treatment today.
ABRAHAM: That’s correct. As a matter of fact, the judge says that social services no longer have partial custody of me and that I do not have to report to the hospital, our stay has been accepted, and that basically, any court information from the previous hearings are now gone and we’re starting anew in the Circuit Court with Judge Tyler.
There has been some question as to what issue the Circuit Court was being asked to rule on. Mr. Cherrix answered this question on the show:
MR. CHERRIX: [W]hat it amounts to is that the judge said that this actually isn’t a juvenile issue here, what it is is it’s an adult issue and they’re going to determine whether or not Abraham’s parents, me and Rose, are guilty or not guilty of medical neglect.
At one point, Mr. Hannity asked Abraham a question that many people have probably wondered: Does he think about the possibility of dying because of his decision to pursue alternative treatment?
HANNITY: Abraham, let me ask you a very tough question. I’ve come to be very impressed with you and your knowledge of your disease, your knowledge of your situation, your seeking alternative remedies, I think it’s really admirable.
ABRAHAM: Thank you.
HANNITY: But at the end of the day if you make a wrong decision it could result in your life.
ABRAHAM: Yes.
HANNITY: Do you think about that?
ABRAHAM: Well, I really can’t think about that, you know?
HANNITY: But don’t you have to?
ABRAHAM: Well, there’s always that possibility and, yes, you can look at it. But if I’m going to get better I have to maintain a positive attitude.
HANNITY: No, I agree with that.
ABRAHAM: I cannot look into the future, as I said before, and say, This is going to happen to me and I’m so scared. I can’t wake up every morning and say, Oh, my gosh, I’m going to die. You know, I wake up every morning and I say, I’m going to live, and I strive to meet that goal.
So there’s that possibility that somewhere along this line we made a wrong decision. But you know what? If I die, I’ll die happy, and I will die healthy, and I will die in my home with my family, not in a hospital bed, bedridden and sick.
Mr. Cherrix also said on the program that the court date has been set for Wednesday, August 16th. That gives them a little over three weeks. Please keep the Cherrix family and their lawyers in your prayers as they prepare for the ongoing battle. Most importantly, pray for healing.
For full coverage of Abraham’s story, click here.
I have been following the story…although I haven’t been able to comment on the previous posts.
I pray that everything will go as God wills it.
Carry on, Abraham! 🙂
Thank you guys for the excellent coverage.
So parents can’t know about their daughters getting abortions but the courts can force this kid to have chemo? That seems sooooo wrong. Oh wait…it is! Parental rights should be categorical, not just what is socially acceptable!
I’m not entirely convinced that the main issue surrounding this situation is parental rights or the state vs. the family/family rights. There’s alot of rhetoric brought in when he/his family/individuals interviewing him talk about things like “I will die in my home..not in a hospital bed”…and his (very remarkable, don’t get me wrong) will to live, however, when looking past that, there are a few other things here to consider.
1) Abraham is a minor. Therefore, his parents are responsible for his medical issues. However, SINCE he is a minor, it is the responsibility of the state to ensure that he, along with all other minors, is not neglected medically in any way. There are alot of situations like this that are very real…parents choose to refrain from giving their sick child ANY medical attention because it is forbidden in their religion. That’s child abuse, and therefore the responsibilty of the state to step in and protect that child. Don’t get me wrong, I’m NOT saying this is the situation with Abraham and his family, but keep that in mind. That leads to the second thing to consider.
2) The rule of law: consider this..what if Abraham was fourteen? Eleven? Eight? Six? At what point does the state acknowledge that a child is mature enough to make his or her OWN medical decisions and take responsibility for him/herself? Surely it seems that Abraham is capable of this. He is mature, intelligent, and eloquent. Taking this into consideration, how is it decided that Abraham’s parents are the responsible party for his medical issues? THE LAW. The law says that he is a minor, not yet eighteen, and that is the ONLY guiding line the state has for granting medical independence when it comes to children. (Granted, there are exceptions, such as a mentally ill adult, but stick with me here). Frankly, it doesn’t matter how mature, intelligent, or publically voiced about making his own choices Abraham is, he is not eighteen yet. Therefore his PARENTS are the ones, in the eyes of the law, making this choice. This takes us back to number 1: the state must ensure that Abraham’s life is being cared for in a non-negligent manner. They CANNOT let this case stand on its own, because that will fundamentally destroy the rule of law. How would they therefore judge the next case? What if it’s a ten-year-old who has been indoctrinated by his parents, and whos life is in danger? Maybe he outspokenly WANTS to refrain from traditional medical treatment, like Abraham. The state has to use the rule of law.
Disclaimer: I’m not saying I think the state is justified in forcing Abraham to recieve chemotheraphy. I’m simply throwing some points out there that must be considered. It’s not as cut-and-dry as “parental rights” or “state vs. family”. As a last comment, I sure don’t envy the judge in this case. =P A hard, hard decision all around. God guide him.
How did you make your blog site look this sick!? Email me if you get the chance and share your wisdom. Id appreciate it!