On Thursday, 104-year-old Australian scientist, Dr David Goodall, will end his life.
The highly respected botanist and ecologist has been a member of Exit International, Australia’s right-to-die group, for 20 years.
A father of four, Dr Goodall spent his last day doing what he loves most, exploring the Basel University Botanical Gardens in Switzerland with three of his grandchildren and their partners.
The professor, who completed his PhD 77 years ago, was also filmed singing to his favourite song, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and embracing his family.
“I feel very privileged that I will be able to be there when my grandfather passes away,” the scientist’s 30-year-old grandson, Daniel, told the Daily Mail.
“He is so brave and I am so glad that he has been able to make his own choice. It is his wish that he can end his life, but such a shame that he was not allowed to do it in his own country,” Daniel said.
In a press conference from Basel, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Dr Goodall said, “Australia is behind Switzerland in this move, as are most countries.
“At my age, or less than my age, one wants to be free to choose death when the death is at an appropriate time.
“My abilities have been in decline over the past year or two, my eyesight over the past six years. I no longer want to continue life. I’m happy to have the chance tomorrow to end it.”
The professor, who retired at age 102, has been considering ending his life for two decades, and said he inexpertly tried to do so at least three times before deciding to seek professional help.
Another grandson, Duncan, spoke of his grandfather’s bravery and the importance of dying “on his own terms“.
This week, Dr Goodall was assessed by two Swiss doctors, one of whom was a psychiatrist, and declared him to be in a sound mind to make the decision to proceed with euthanasia.
Dr Goodall will end his life at 10am on Thursday, local time, surrounded by four members of his family and a close friend.
He hopes his story will inspire people to have a more “liberal view” on the subject of assisted dying.
Top Comments
Very sad. This man's death was everything but "beautiful". Why weren't his grandchildren doing what they could back home to make him feel loved, cared for, and secure? Then he'd still be alive and being grateful for every for one of his 104 years. He had a lot to offer other elderly people about living life to the fullest. Many others 20-25 years younger would be thrilled to have a life where they have no chronic or terminal illnesses or are not in pain. So tragic that he chose to end his life prematurely and that his family encouraged him to commit suicide.
I sincerely hope that by the time my parents are elderly Australia has these laws. I’m currently watching two wonderful grandmothers die ... one in a nursing home, aged 95 (blind and deaf, she falls over almost daily and is disoriented ). She sits in a chair all day waiting/hoping to die. The other dying a painful death from cancer aged 88. We need choice in this country.... not the church dictating the laws of our country to the politicians!!!!!