PHOENIX - A Phoenix
family is fighting for their son's life. They say he's not brain-dead,
but the doctors at HonorHealth say otherwise. Today, the family held a
protest outside of the hospital with the hope of getting more answers.
26-year-old
Ruben Vati was brought to HonorHealth on Sept. 11. The family says he
was conscious then, but a few days later, the hospital declared him
brain-dead. They just want more time before permanent actions are taken.
Picketers gathered outside HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center
on Wednesday, holding signs. They're friends and family of Ruben.
"He's still living and they want to get his organs, and I don't think it's right," said Daniel Vati, Ruben's brother.
Ruben was admitted for a drug overdose, according to the hospital. Days later, the family says he was declared brain-dead.
"They
declared him brain-dead, but we know he's not," said Stela Vati,
Ruben's mother. "Because when you talk to him, he's tearing [up]."
Ruben
is listed as an organ donor, so the Donor Network of America was ready
to claim his organ, but his family said he had second thoughts about
options to be a donor.
"I said, 'Why don't you give him a chance, let him breathe first if he doesn't breathe on his own then,'" Stela said.
A
judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the Donor
Network of American and the hospital from removing Ruben's organs.
HonorHealth issued the following statement:
HonorHealth
is required to abide by the court order. The order states HonorHealth
is to allow a board-certified neurologist to perform an exam on the
patient. HonorHealth granted emergency temporary privileges to a
board-certified neurologist identified by the family. As of now, that
neurologist has not come to the facility to examine the patient.
The Donor
Network of America is suing the family to take possession of Ruben's
organs. Because of confidentiality concerns, they cannot comment any
futher.
A Los Angeles judge issued an order Friday preventing ailing
actor/comedian Tim Conway from being moved to a different medical
facility amid a growing dispute between his wife and daughter over his
care.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Wada did not immediately rule
on a request by Conway’s daughter, Kelly, to be appointed as her
father’s conservator. She has argued in court papers that the actor best
known for his work on “The Carol Burnett Show” suffers from dementia
and is completely unresponsive.
She expressed concern in court papers obtained by the website The
Blast that Conway’s wife, Charlene, was planning to move him out of his
existing care facility, where he has a private room and receives
around-the-clock care. She argued that such a move would be “harmful to
his health and life,” according to the court papers.
But Charlene Conway — who married Tim Conway in 1984 — denied in
court papers that she has any plans to move her husband. She claims
Kelly Conway’s request to be named conservator was based on a shoddy
medical report based on “conjecture” and fabrications.
Attorney Michael Harris, who was appointed to protect Conway’s
interests in the dispute, wrote in a court filing that he spoke to
Charlene Conway, who also told him she had no intention of moving the
84-year-old actor, according to papers cited by The Blast and People
magazine.
“Her concern now is for Mr. Conway to receive proper physical therapy
so that he can better improve neurologically,” Harris wrote in his
court papers. “It is my present belief that Mrs. Conway, my client’s
wife, is an adequate and appropriate steward of her husband’s well-being
and that her motives regarding Mr. Conway are in his best interest.”
Harris wrote that Conway suffers from “fluid on the brain” and is unable to communicate.
Wada scheduled another hearing in the matter for Sept. 7. But he
ordered that “Mr. Conway’s residence shall not change pending the next
hearing.”
Kelly Conway issued a statement after the hearing praising the decision.
“We are grateful to the judge for taking this matter seriously by
considering all the evidence before making a decision,” she said. “We
appreciate the overwhelming support and love we have received from my
dad’s friends and fans.”
Questions about Conway’s health and his care prompted comedian and
television legend Bob Newhart and his wife, Ginnie, to issue a statement
on social media last week, saying, “We have been friends with Charlene
and Tim for many years and want to assure you that he (Conway) is
receiving the most devoted care.”
Conway was a performer on “The Steve Allen Plymouth Hour” in the
1950s before landing a role on the comedy series “McHale’s Navy.” But he
shot to fame with his work on “The Carol Burnett Show,” with his comic
antics often causing on-screen bouts of laughter by co-star Harvey
Korman.
In addition to Kelly, Conway and his first wife Mary Anne Dalton had five other children. They divorced in 1978.
Tim Conway’s wife and daughter are at odds over his medical treatment as the “Carol Burnett Show” star suffers from dementia.
A rep for Conway's daughter Kelly
told Fox News Friday she received a temporary restraining order to stop
his current wife's plans to move the ailing comic from his current
medical facility.
"My brothers and I are extremely happy that the plan to
move our dad by his wife has been temporarily stopped by a court order
today," wrote Kelly.
"We are grateful to the judge for taking this matter
seriously by considering all the evidence before making a decision. We
appreciate the overwhelming support and love we have received from my
dads friends and fans."
Actor Tim Conway, wife Charlene Fusco and daughter Kelly
Conway being photoraphed on August 9, 1983 at Chasen's Restaurant in
Beverly Hills, California.
(Getty)
The rep added there is an upcoming court date to decide conservatorship.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast,
Kelly was seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the comedian’s
current wife, Charlene Conway, from moving the 84-year-old to a lesser
medical facility.
Kelly alleged Charlene is “planning to move him out of
the excellent skilled nursing facility he is currently at,” and place
him into a lesser-quality home. She claimed her father cannot “properly
provide for his personal needs for physical health, food and clothing”
and is “almost entirely unresponsive.”
In the documents, Kelly said her father has his own
private room and a caregiver who has been assisting him for the last two
years and attends to his needs 24 hours a day. She argued that moving
Conway to "a facility without skilled nurses on staff in his current
condition will be harmful to his health and life.”
Tim Conway (left) with Bob Newhart in 2005.
(Getty)
Conway’s “various medical conditions put him at risk of being a subject of medical emergencies," she added.
Kelly also alleged Charlene’s attempt to move Conway to
an “inferior” facility run “contrary to his “special personal and
medical needs.” Consequently, Kelly is asking the court to grant the
order or at least move up the hearing on the proposed conservatorship to
before September 1. She argued Charlene plans to move Conway during the
first few days of the month.
The Blast reported a judge has yet to rule on the
order. A rep for Kelly told Fox News Thursday she is expected to make a
court appearance Friday.
In court documents obtained by People magazine
Friday, Michael Harris, who has been appointed to protect Conway’s
interest during the ongoing feud between daughter and stepmother, also
said the comedian is “unable to communicate” and is “suffering from
fluid on the brain.”
“He showed no ability or willingness to talk and no
apparent sign that he comprehended the nature of the Conservatorship or
any of my statements to him,” alleged Harris, who claimed he made a
visit to Conway’s home on Tuesday.
Harris added Charlene is “obviously devoted” to her husband.
“She informed me that her motivation was to work with Jeffrey
Cummings MD, a renowned neurologist who is trying to deal with Mr.
Conway’s past brain surgeries involving a shunt that failed and later a
valve procedure to correct his neurological problems,” Harris explained.
“Her concern now is for Mr. Conway to receive proper
physical therapy so that he can better improve neurologically. It is my
present belief that Mrs. Conway, my client’s wife, is an adequate and
appropriate steward of her husband’s well-being and that her motives
regarding Mr. Conway are in his best interest.”
Harris also said Charlene denied Kelly’s claim that she is planning to move him out of his current nursing facility.
“Kelly Conway wants to thank everyone for their
outpouring of love and support for her dad and cannot make any
statements at this moment due to a pending court date,” a rep for Kelly
told Fox News Monday.
Conway had zero experience when he first embarked on
his journey to Hollywood. His first credited role was 1964’s “McHale’s
Navy” as Ensign Charles Parker.
He continued working in both film and television before
he made his mark in “The Carol Burnett Show” as various beloved
characters, including the Oldest Man and Mr. Tudball from 1975 until
1978. He won a Golden Globe Award for “Best Supporting Actor.”
Conway, who was a frequent guest, ultimately became a regular in later seasons by popular demand.
Conway continued acting and even voiced the character
of Barnacle Boy on the animated series “Spongebob Squarepants.” He made a
special appearance on the second season of “30 Rock,” which earned him
an Emmy.
Some of his other TV credits include guest appearances
on hit shows, such as “Married … With Children,” “Mad About You,” “Glee”
and “Two and a Half Men,” to name a few.
His last credited role was that of Dorf, a diminutive
Scandinavian from a series of satirical how-to videos, in the 2016
comedy “Chip and Bernie Save Christmas with Dorf.”
Throughout his reign in entertainment, Conway has won six Emmys.
“My ambition was to be a jockey, but at my weight, even the horses were asking me to get off,” Conway joked on his website. “I have seven children, two grandchildren and a puppy. I have been married since 1984, a record for Hollywood.”
Charlene is Conway’s second wife. The couple tied the knot in 1984.
