Shaw: She did not have to lay there and suffer

In a survey at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair, people were asked, “Should terminally ill adults have the option to end their lives with the assistance of health care providers?” An overwhelming 73% said yes, while just 18% said no. It’s time for Minnesota legislators to listen to the people of the state and pass such a law.

We know these laws work in other states. Mona Henkels of Fulda, Minnesota, had a very dear friend, Elfi Rice, who used to live in Faribault, Minnesota. Elfi later moved to the state of Washington.

In 2015, Elfi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She valiantly fought her cancer, and received numerous chemotherapy treatments, but they didn’t help.

“Elfi was in a lot of pain,” Mona told me. “She was sick, very weak and lost her appetite. She was choking on her food. We couldn’t even understand what this eloquent woman was saying. She had fought all she could fight.”

Realizing that she was terminally ill and only going to get worse, Elfi made the decision to die with dignity. After she was examined by two physicians and found to be of a sound mind, Elfi was approved for Washington’s program.

Surrounded by her family, Elfi took two pills in a drink and went to sleep. An hour later she was gone.

“I’m very grateful that she was allowed that option,” Mona said. “I was so glad that she did not have to lay there and suffer. There was nothing to be gained. She had lived a great life. She wasn’t going to submit to the indignity and inhumanity of waiting to die.”

David Sturgeon of Tonka Bay, Minnesota, will never forget the brutal death of his father.

“My father had skin cancer,” David told me. “He was miserable. He couldn’t do anything for himself. He was choking on fluid filling his lungs, was horribly uncomfortable and clearly in pain. He wanted to get medical assistance to die, but that wasn’t a legal option. Instead, he got the death he dreaded.”

That had a huge impact on David. Nine years after his father’s death, Tom Warren of California, who was like a second father to David, was also dying and suffering. So, Tom chose death with dignity. David was with Tom and his family when Tom took his medication.

“He told everybody he loved them and went to sleep,” David said. “Totally peaceful. To be a witness to that was incredible. It was what he wanted. I wish my dad could have had that opportunity.”

Every terminally ill person should have this opportunity. What’s the point of prolonging misery and suffering? In most states, we treat our dogs and cats more humanely when they are dying than we do our fellow human beings.

“I can only hope when my time comes, my passing will be like Tom’s,” David said.

“It’s just the right and humane thing to do to provide this option,” Mona said.

InForum columnist Jim Shaw is a former WDAY TV reporter and former KVRR TV news director.