I have a 16yr old. That story blows me away! It gives me hope in strange sort of way. Not sure how though.

OMG! What a sacrifice this family made all those years with hope still in their hearts until the very end. Story lines like this exist only so often, and when they surface it pulls at the heart strings that the meaning of love, strong faith and a greater purpose than self, is still relevant in this ever so cruel world. Peace!

As a parent myself I don't know what I would do...coma's are an interesting phenomena. I am glad I have not had to make such hard decision and I hope I never have to. I admire the strength and dedication this family had to their daughter and it was their choice to choose the path they did...whether right or wrong it was their choice and as I can see their daughter lived only because of their extraordinary care. I am sure that most of us do not have that kind of strength or dedication...I know I do not have this kind of endurance. I am pretty sure a good percentage of the people that have commented on the O'Bara's decision have never seen a person in a coma and when a person goes into a coma and your Dr. tells you that there is still brain activity and a possibility that they may come out of the coma with about an 80% chance that everything will be normal...well it's just that...a very HARD decision. Two of my close friends have been in coma's one at 19 from a car accident and he came out of the coma after a month and had to re-learn just about everything...he is fine now but not good at short term memory. My other friend at 42 had a heart attack died twice, revived was in a coma for four months came out of it to some extent but was never the same person prior to the coma...she lived for eight years, with much care from her family and her family finally made the decision to let her go. My friend of 40 years was locked in her body...she could talk but with great effort, she could not walk or care for herself and she understood everything...her eyes told her story each and everytime I visited her. In the end her family took the feeding tube away and it was Not an easy decision after 8 yrs but it was the right decision for them. My friend has been gone for over a year now and when her mother had to make that decision to "pull the plug" or see if she would come out of the coma...she called me and asked me and I told her to pull the plug but my answer was as a friend not a daughter. Tough decision anyway you look at it...Blessings on the O'Bara Family.

While I respect their decision, I completely disagree with it. You kept your daughter alive for 42 years in a coma. That's crazy on numerous levels. It does have to be a Guinness World record though!

And may flights of Angels sing her to her final rest.

This is the most appalling thing I've ever read. This poor woman was selfishly withheld from the freedom of passing, not out of love or compassion, but by dysfunctional and pathologically controlling parents. Love sometimes means letting go. It's interesting how when science barbarically keeps someone alive it's the "moral" thing to do, or when science takes a life through capital punishment it is considered "justice." Wake up people. Keeping someone constrained to a bed, not knowing the Hell they may have been experiencing in their mind is inhumanity at it's worst. How demented for everyone to be acting like this is a story of inspiration. It's ghoulish.

There is noting like a Mother's love, it's cruel at times to hope for so long

If I woke up after a 42-year coma, I'd never speak to my parents again.

It is easy to see how this developed over time...at sixteen no one in Edwarda's family could bear to see her feeding tube removed. She was still young and pretty. There was still some hope. Time passed and routines set in. Years turned into decades. Edwarda became middle aged, but no one could think of turning off the machine after so many years. I am sure the family never thought it would take so many years for Edwarda to die. Perhaps they would have stopped the tube early on if they could have looked into a crystal ball. Most people don't make decisions in such situations; they wait for decisions to be made for them by fate. It would be so hard to tell someone to turn the tube off if it is your child at the other end. I hope none of us ever have to face such a situation.

Dumbest thing I've ever heard of keeping someone half ass alive for 42 years.

I do not fault this Mother in any way whatsoever. However, my own mother would have released me 40+ years ago, as would have been my personal wishes. I would NEVER want my family to tend to me and give up the best years of their lives. Move on, live on, we will see one another again.

A family decision regardless of how we feel. They did what they felt was right for the woman and I have no problem with that. I hope I never have to be in the same situation. God bless them.

Hell,why the hell not.They collected her social sercurity for 42 years,they got to get a handycap placard for there rear view mirror,and they got in front of the line at amusement parks.

How did a story about a mother's enduring love become the basis for such an ugly conversation about this woman's family?

Rest in peace, Edwarda, you are home now.

If Edwarda knew the physical, emotional, and financial toll it took on her mother and family, I don't think she would have whispered those words to her mother to never leave her side. I don't know what I would do exactly in that situation but I would think that my child would not want to put that amount of burden on the family.

It incredible story, I have say to the mother and to her family that stood next with the patient for 42 years....can't imagine a word that describe them, but greatest human being and heroes to the daughter ! It take deep and solid compassion live with someone that is ill for that long. God bless her daughter soul and her mother and family !

This was a touching story and showed the true of love of a mother. Rest in the Glory of God, Edwarda.

The situation is what it is. The family did what they felt was right and unless there is a "living will", the decision was theirs and theirs alone.

Not only am I very vocal about my wishes if something like this were to happen to me, but specific instructions are provided in my living will that spell out exactly what I want to happen to my comatose body.

Dispatch me as quickly and humanely as possible without breaking the law or jeopardizing your own freedom, and then cremate my remains.

Everyone should have a Living Will. It tells how you want to die if you are in an irreversible coma or in a vegetative state with no hope of recovery as this woman was.

Edwarda's family took good and loving care of her, that was their wish. However, Edwarda's wish might have been to leave this world naturally and not lie in bed with a feeding tube inserted into her abdomin while liquid nutrients flowed into her body daily for 40 years. What a horrible way to live.

Edwarda died when she was 16 years old. It's sad her family tortured her for the next 42 years, selfish. Tragic outcome. May she rest in peace .... finally.

Dear Mom and Dad ... If I am ever in a similar situation, I would prefer an overdose of morphine. Love you guys. -- Bryan

She was not in a coma, she was in a persistent vegetative state. And 42 years is likely to be the longest vegetative state on record. Personally, I can't see the point of keeping her alive all that time, but it isn't my place to make judgements. After all, I didn't have to do it. But this woman was not tortured. She was cared for in the most gentle and loving way. Her familly deserves your respect, not your scorn.

Thats incredible! Too bad all these other jerks don't know the true meaning of LOVE!

We all have our opinions but the truth is NO ONE really KNOWS how they will behave in a situation like this until they are in it. And for that reason alone....let's stop judging.

It is amazing that someone has lived for over forty years in a coma and it is commendable what her family has done for her.

I have a living will and I have specifically stated that if I am in a vegetative state, I should be allowed to die. I never want to be a burden (financial, physical, mental, emotionl) to my family. I don't ever want my family to feel guilty about doing what's right for me.

Bottom line, everyone is entitled to decide how they will be treated when they cannot take care of themselves.