Karen Ann

This is the story of one family's devotion and courage in the face of the tragedy which has become a landmark in medical and legal history. The Quinlans tell here, in their own words, of their love for Karen, of the agony which they shared in reaching the decision to instigate the court proceedings which eventually led to the famous New Jersey State Supreme Court ruling, of the brilliant young lawyer who volunteered to fight for Karen Ann's cause, and of the supportive role of friends, doctors, nurses, and the Church.

On the night of April 15, 1975, Joseph and Julia Quinlan were awakened by a phone call, notifying them that Karen Ann, their oldest daughter, had been rushed to the hospital in a coma. Karen Ann never regained consciousness, nor has the cause of the come ever been determined. This is the story of one family's devotion and courage in the face of the tragedy which has become a landmark in medical and legal history. The Quinlans tell here, in their own words, of their love for Karen, of the agony which they shared in reaching the decision to instigate the court proceedings which eventually led to the famous New Jersey State Supreme Court ruling, of the brilliant young lawyer who volunteered to fight for Karen Ann's cause, and of the supportive role of friends, doctors, nurses, and the Church. Karen Ann's case has been sensationalized and often distorted by the press. But the true story behind the publicity is told here with quiet eloquence – and it is a far more profound tragedy than the one told in the headlines. What happened to Karen is unique, but the situation which the Quinlans faced is becoming all too commonplace in these days of rapid advances in medical technology. Karen's plight touches all of us, as do the courage and faith of her parents – whose honesty in the face of suffering won Karen Ann the right to rest in God's hands.

Joseph T. Quinlan was an early pioneer of the "right to die" movement for the terminally ill. Born in West New York, NJ on April 2, 1925, Mr. Quinlan was a private first class in the Army in World War II from 1943 to 1945 with the 84th Infantry Division in Europe. He was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 where he lost his left forearm and right 5th finger. Mr. Quinlan was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Battle Star, the European, African and Middle Eastern Campaign ribbons and the Purple Heart. "My Dad was the most gentle and humble man I have ever known. Yet he performed heroically at a crucial moment in WWII, the Battle of the Bulge. As well as a Purple Heart, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, (DSC) for "extraordinary heroism," said his son John Quinlan. "He never told anyone what he did, not even Mom or his best friend. We only discovered the full extent of his heroism in 2013, when Mom requested a copy of his Purple Heart and was astonished when she received a package of medals and letters from the War Department. A copy of the commendation is available on line at karenannquinlanhospice.org/medals. Joseph married Julia Duane on September 22, 1946, and they were blessed with three children and fifty years together. Joseph died peacefully in in home under the medical care of his wife and Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice. After the war Mr. Quinlan worked for the Warner-Lambert pharmaceutical company in Morris Plains, NJ. In his private life Mr. Quinlan was a quiet man, devout in his Catholic faith. He shunned the spotlight and worked quietly with his wife, counseling other families around the country with terminally ill relatives. He served as chairman of Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice and guided its growth. "Joe was truly a gentleman of quiet demeanor, deep faith and principled courage," said Paul W. Armstrong, the lawyer and close family friend who represented the Quinlans during the landmark 1976 decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court supporting the couples request to turn off Karen Ann's respirator. The ultimate unanimous ruling become known as sanctioning a "right to die" for the terminally ill. It was said by Monsignor Trapasso, a family friend and spiritual adviser that Mr. Quinlan frowned on the phrase "right to die," instead feeling that the family wanted to let God and nature take care of Karen and they wanted a fundamental choice in rejecting "futile" medical treatment that had "no positive good" prolonging the life of a terminally ill person. The legal legacy of the Quinlans long ordeal is the landmark 1976 decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court supporting the couple's request to turn off Karen Ann's respirator. The second legacy is the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice that the Quinlans founded in 1980 with the proceeds from a film and book rights to the story of their daughter's life and death.