Dan James and Parents

If you were diagnosed with a terminal disease and were told the pain would increase each day and eventually become intolerable, would suicide ever be an option? Specifically, would assisted suicide be an option? This is one of those issues that require deep soul searching, especially for those of who have had to sit back and watch a loved one in excruciating pain. It has to be the most helpless feeling in the world. The debate on assisted suicide has always been heated and passionate. This is what makes it so difficult to decide what we would or wouldn’t do. On one hand, one’s faith often dictates that no one has the right to play God. Often, you will hear “God doesn’t put anything on us that we can’t handle.” That’s a tough statement to challenge. Then, there are those who have been in that situation who know the pain a human can feel, those who have sat bedside for weeks and months praying for relief for the one in such pain and even daring to pray for that relief, even if it means surrendering their life on this earth.

A Switzerland “right to die” clinic, Dignitas, recently provided assistance (the story here) in a young Briton’s choice to die rather than live what he referred to as a “second class life”. His parents fully supported his decision and in their statement, they reiterated their son’s wishes and his insistence of not continuing a life this way. His injury was sports-related and prior to his accident, he had a full course load and was an athlete at his college. I can’t imagine his mother coming to the realization her son no longer wished to live, but wanted a way out and to be released from his “physical being”. I can only imagine the extraordinary strength it must have taken to support his decision. A child is supposed to outlive his parents, right? The injury resulted in full paralysis from the chest down. The only improvement he’d ever experienced was brief feelings in his fingertips.

Currently, Oregon allows physician assisted suicides, but with strict guidelines that must be well documented. Note that it’s “physician assisted”, meaning a doctor has to be there each step of the way. But Dignitas provides flats for the patients and families to stay in for the duration. It’s a non-profit founded by Ludwig Minelli, a Swiss lawyer. Since its inception in 1998, 870 people have been helped to end their lives by the clinic. It should also be noted that up to 70% of those who contact this facility requesting information never follow through.

So, we’re back at square one - would assisted suicide ever be an option? Would we be strong enough to disregard our own motives for wanting to keep our loved ones here with us as long as possible and support a decision such as this? And for those who have strong religious beliefs, would you honor a choice such as this? Sometimes, faith and religion are poles apart and this may just be the perfect example of the gray areas.

There is one aspect of this topic I am certain of: the police in their British hometown has assured the media of an imminent probe into his death. I’m not sure what their probe expects to uncover, this was not a secret and it this young man’s ultimate choice was well documented. All of this evidence is expected to be released to a British prosecutor for review. As these parents try to grieve the loss of their son, they’re now under a microscope of authorities who, in my opinion, have no jurisdiction. No crime was committed. They were on the Swiss soil when this took place. It should also be mentioned a social services representative , who was way out of line, felt it necessary to inform the police - while this man lay dying in the manner he chose.

Live or die? Sin or surrender? I don’t know, but I don’t think I’m supposed to.