Elderly Couple Got ‘Deepest Wish’ — to Die Together — in Rare Euthanasia Case

Nic and Trees Elderhorst wanted to die together. Both were 91 years old and suffering from declining health. Nic had had a stroke in 2012 and Trees had been recently diagnosed with dementia. Under Dutch law, the pair was allowed to arrange a double-euthanasia. Extremely rare, even in countries that permit the practice, assisted suicide is only allowed when, “the patient’s request is voluntary and well thought-out, the patient is in “lasting and unbearable” suffering and there are no other solutions, among other things.”

Trees and Nic both qualified for assisted suicide even with these fairly strict requirements. Though the process took over a year, the couple shared a quick word and their final kiss on July 4, 2017.

See Lindsey Bever, Elderly Couple Got ‘Deepest Wish’ — to Die Together — in Rare Euthanasia Case, The Washington Post, August 17, 2017.

Special thanks to Lewis Saret (Attorney, Washington, D.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.