Inside Dignitas: Husband's 'peaceful' final moments with wife before declaring 'it's time'

A devoted wife has shared what is actually like, opening up about her heartbreaking four days with her beloved husband.

58, is currently under police investigation after taking her husband, Anthony, to die at the assisted dying clinic Dignitas in Switzerland in December. Anthony, 59, had been diagnosed with and his health had declined to the point where he couldn't even hold his wife's hand.

Remembered as "a dedicated and loving father", furniture restorer Anthony had feared dying painfully as the illness took hold, and felt the Dignitas route would be his best chance of a peaceful death. Speaking previously with the for the first time since dad-of-three Anthony's “beautiful death", Louise explained that the Dignitas process “isn't what people think”, opening up about the “four amazing days” they shared

READ MORE:

Remembering that journey to Switzerland, Louise, from North Yorkshire, told us: “It took four people to get him on the plane and he turned and looked at me and said ‘they can’t stop us now, can they, love?"

The night before Anthony died, he and Louise shared a meal together, and he made one final plea to his dedicated wife. She recalled: “The night before he died we were sat having a meal and he told me: ‘I need you to fight for other people. I need you to tell my story because I shouldn’t have to do this'."

On what was to be his final day, Louise describes Anthony as being "at absolute peace". Louise shared: "What was incomprehensible to me was he was looking forward to going to the Blue House at Dignatas. That he was looking forward to dying!

“When we arrived we were greeted by three people, who were very knowledgeable, explained everything that was going to happen. My husband was given an anti-sickness medication.

"And we then spent a peaceful hour outside. The Blue House overlooks the Alps and has beautiful green fields in front of it. Twisting up outside the front bit is a very old wisteria tree. I've got some of the seeds here because they let me take some seed pods home with me.

“We spent an hour in the sunshine together, talking. And I couldn't believe how relaxed he was. It was amazing, honestly because as humans we have this fear of dying and of watching death. But he made it all so comfortable. He was at absolute peace."

She continued: "And as we stopped there, he turned and looked at me and said, ‘It's time’. My heart broke as I pushed his wheelchair into the building, knowing these were the last few moments I would spend with him.

“He was asked for the last time ‘whether he was sure that this is what he wanted to do’. And that once he'd taken the medication he'd fall asleep and he wouldn't wake up. He smiled at them and he said; ‘What do you think I'm here for? Let's do this! He was laughing when he said it and smiled again. As I lifted him up to the bed I lay beside him, my husband administered the medication himself by swallowing. I couldn't look at him doing that. I turned away.

“I wrapped my arms around him and within minutes he was becoming heavy in my arms. We were talking. And he said ‘I feel sleepy’. I held him tighter and he gave a little snore. And we always had a joke about him . So I said to him, ‘I can't believe you're snoring’. And he laughed and gently slipped away. It was a beautiful death.

“I knew that he was going, I could feel his weight on me. I lay there with him for about half an hour. I was laying with his dead body on the phone, booking an Uber.“

Louise has decided to speak about these deeply personal moments after vowing to Anthony that she would "not let his death be in vain". This comes as Parliament prepares to vote on assisted dying legislation in England and Wales. The next debate on the proposed bill has been postponed, giving MPS additional time to reflect on their positions following controversy over the amendment, and wait for the Government’s impact statement which is expected after Easter.

Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who introduced the assisted dying bill, has sent letters to all 650 MPs, informing them that the next debate will now take place on May 16.

Ms Leadbeater recently revealed 150 amendments have been adopted to the bill, which intends to allow those with terminal illnesses to end their lives "on their own terms". She told the Mirror: "I believe the amendments made have significantly strengthened what was already the most robust assisted dying legislation in the .

"I have always said it is more important to do this properly than to do it quickly. I am absolutely confident that there will be no delay to the bill’s passage towards Royal Assent should both Houses give it their support."

A spokesperson stated: "The investigation is ongoing. There is nothing further to add at this stage."

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

READ MORE: