Australian who won 'right to die' case has died

[The Straight Story]

Australian who won 'right to die' case has died

(AP) – 20 hours ago

PERTH, Australia — An Australian quadriplegic who recently won a landmark court case allowing him to refuse food and water from his nursing home died Monday, his brother said.

Christian Rossiter, 49, succumbed to a chest infection, his brother, Tim, said in a statement.

"I thank all those who have made Christian's life, in his final years, as comfortable and as dignified as possible," the statement said.

Rossiter, who broke his spine in 2004 in a road accident and was left a spastic quadriplegic after a fall last year, had described his life as "a living hell." In mid-August, the Australian state Supreme Court ruled that Rossiter's nursing home in the west coast city of Perth must respect his decision to starve to death.

"Death I suspect comes as quite a relief for Christian," Rossiter's lawyer, John Hammond, told Seven Network television. "I think Christian will be remembered as someone who was very brave and took up a fight which will give a lot of people comfort."

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[aquart]

1. He won the right to starve himself to death?

Wow.

[kestrel91316]

2. He won the right to die a natural death. It's called not eating or drinking anymore.

It's how most people used to die in old age, and many other times too.

Nothing weird about it. You just stop the heroics. We are doing basically with my mom, who is in assisted living under hospice care, though my sister is the one with medical power of attorney, and not mom.

Calling it starving to death is needlessly melodramatic. You could also call it dying of dehydration. I call it letting nature take its course, and for many people it is a true kindness.

[Myrina]

6. Yeah, basically the same happened with my parents ...

... although they were both in hospital for a couple weeks, doped up on Morphine and attended by staff ... and in both situations, it was their choice to cease other treatments and let the diseases run their course (Cirhossis in his case, Brain Cancer in hers).

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. It is, of course, a right that any person has

who is not under the control of others.

You or I could starve ourselves if we wished, but since he could not feed himself, being dependent on others for food, he had to depend on them not feeding him which, of course, they were unwilling to do, despite his specific wishes.

The right to die as we wish is, I believe, fundamental. It is the last decision any of us makes.

[spanone]

5. he won the right to choose

[wicket]

3. May he finally be at peace

O8)