LODI, Calif. -- The family of Robert Wendland, the man at the center of a right-to-die case that reached the California Supreme Court, remained divided Wednesday following his death.
Wendland died at a Lodi hospital of pneumonia on Tuesday.
A feeding tube had kept him alive since he suffered brain damage in a 1993 accident.
His wife, Rose Wendland, said the he would have never have wanted to live that way and went to court in an effort to let him die.
His mother, Florence, fought to keep her son on life support, saying that he was not a vegetable.
The family spoke out Wednesday about Wendland's death.
"We shouldn't have to go through what we're doing now. This should be a very private and saddened time for us and we should have grief without dealing with the public, " Rose Wendland said.
"Right now we're trying to focus on the Supreme Court and hope that they will go ahead and make a decision and not let this stop them from doing that. If they make a decision, Robert won't have died in vain." Wendland's sister, Debra Hofer, said.
Because Wendland died before the Supreme Court ruled in the case, the justices are under no obligation to proceed.
Both sides of the family have asked the court to rule in the case, and say that they will hold separate memorial services.
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