On Saturday 6 August at 12:15pm, Archie Battersbee’s fight ended as all life support was removed. The end of any person’s life is painful, but is all the more devastating with a beautiful boy like Archie, full of so much potential and with a family full of love for him.
Like nearly everyone who followed the story, I never knew Archie before his tragic accident. I have only come to know of him through his mother, Hollie Dance, and the extended family. They were dedicated, courageous and compassionate in their contending for Archie to be given a full chance to recover. The final decision by the courts to end treatment at the hospital also marked the end of a long Christian Legal Centre case with many twists and turns.
People have questions about the case, which is admittedly complex. I have written before about why he deserved a fighting chance, explaining some of the reasoning behind our support for the case. But I want to give more context for these past months; the environment we have sought to support the family through and our reasons for doing so.
The Christian Legal Centre exists to be a voice for those who stand for life, family and freedom as set out in the Bible. We were brought into Archie’s case when he had been given 24 hours to live. We are still by the family’s side several months later. We love and care for the family deeply and have huge admiration for them.
