April 27, 1986

April 27, 1986—Barbara Menes (pictured right), League administrator and Joe Scheidler’s personal secretary, collapses at the League’s sixth annual banquet after having just presented Ann Scheidler and activist Rosie Stokes with bouquets of flowers. As doctors and nurses in attendance at the banquet rush to administer CPR, the entire room of attendees prays, led by Fr. Roger Coughlin, director of the Archdiocesan Respect Life Office. Once paramedics arrive and take Barbara to the hospital, the afternoon program proceeds with a talk by Rev. Curtis Young of Christian Action Council. Barbara would survive two more days before dying of heart failure.