A heartbroken British mother, Wendy Duffy, who was in good physical health, chose to end her life through euthanasia in Switzerland following the devastating loss of her only son. Her decision was carried out on Friday at the Pegasos assisted suicide clinic in Basel, an act the organization described as a “sane suicide,” according to reports from the Daily Mail.
Ruedi Habegger, founder of Pegasos, an assisted-dying nonprofit, confirmed, “Wendy Duffy, at her own request, was assisted to die on April 24. The procedure was completed smoothly, respecting her wishes entirely.” He further assured that there was no doubt regarding her clear intention, understanding, and independence in making this choice.
Wendy Duffy, formerly a care worker from the West Midlands, paid approximately $13,500 for the procedure in Switzerland, a country where assisted suicide is legal. Her death coincided with a significant moment in her home country, occurring on the same day that a contentious right-to-die bill did not pass in the British parliament.
This case highlights the ongoing debates surrounding assisted suicide and the deeply personal decisions individuals face in the wake of profound loss and grief.
“In historical terms at English law, hers was a case of ‘sane suicide.’”
Duffy, a former care worker from the West Midlands, paid Pegasos $13,500 to end her own life in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal. Her death came on the same day a hotly debated right-to-die bill failed in British parliament.
She said earlier this week that suicide is the only way her “spirit can be free” from the grief of losing her son four years ago.
Duffy revealed that on her deathbed she would wear one of her late son’s shirts because “it stills like him.”
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile” would be playing as she passes on, she said. She requested that all the belongings she brought with her be donated.
Duffy’s son, Marcus, died at the age of 23 after choking on a tomato that became lodged in his windpipe after he fell asleep while eating a sandwich.
Nine months later, Duffy tried to kill herself by overdosing and had to be put on a ventilator for two weeks.
She said that despite years of trying, no amount of medication or therapy can make her whole again and said that she “can’t wait” to die.
“It will be hard for everyone. But I want to die. I’ll have a smile on my face when I do, so please be happy for me. My life; my choice,” Duffy said.
Duffy believes Marcus would understand her choice.
She said she preferred a “neater” death at the Swiss clinic rather than leave behind a grisly scene.
“I could step off a motorway bridge or a tower block, but that would leave anyone finding me dealing with that for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Duffy’s decision to die in spite of her physical health comes after a 25-year-old sexual gang rape victim, Noella Castillo, took her own life by assisted suicide in Spain last month.
Castillo’s suicide sparked an international uproar and prompted the Trump administration to order the US embassy in Madrid to investigate Spanish law enforcement’s handling of the brutal sexual assault.
The State Department expressed “serious concerns” with Spain’s “many systemic human rights failures” that led Castillo to seek out assisted suicide and allowed the terminal act to be performed even after she reportedly “expressed hesitancy” in her final hours, according to a diplomatic message obtained by The Post.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
