A couple in the Netherlands decided to end their lives together after being together their entire lives. Jan Faber (70) and his wife Els van Leeningen (71) chose euthanasia after both developed serious health conditions. They met in kindergarten and were married for nearly 50 years. Jan suffered from a back problem that didn’t improve after surgery in 2003, rendering him unable to work. He had been a sports coach, while Els was a primary school teacher, BBC reported.
Jan became deeply depressed and often discussed euthanasia. Els also developed a health problem, being diagnosed with dementia in 2022. As her condition worsened, the topic of euthanasia resurfaced and became a reality. The couple applied for duo euthanasia and received the lethal medication on June 3.
In an interaction with BBC, Jan said, “If you take a lot of medicine, you live like a zombie. So with the pain I have and Els’ illness, I think we have to stop this.”
“I’ve lived my life, I don’t want pain anymore,” Jan added.
In a painful admission, Els said, “There is no other solution.”
Jan and Els’s son recalled to BBC having the last dinner with his parents.
“I remember we were having dinner in the evening, and I got tears in my eyes just watching us all having that final dinner together,” said their son, who chose to remain anonymous.
Euthanasia became legal in the Netherlands in April 2002. After the Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedures) Act was passed, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to make the procedure legal. The country’s official government website states that the procedure is performed by a physician who administers “a fatal dose of a suitable drug to the patient on his or her express request.”
“Requests for euthanasia often come from patients experiencing unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement,” the website states. “Their request must be made earnestly and with full conviction. They see euthanasia as the only escape from the situation. However, patients have no absolute right to euthanasia and doctors no absolute duty to perform it.”
The Dutch couple decided to go through euthanasia after Els’ dementia worsened and she was not able to decide on her own.
“If you take a lot of medicine, you live like a zombie,” Jan explained. “So, with the pain I have, and Els’ illness, I think we have to stop this.”
Their son told BBC that it was a “strange day” losing both of his parents.
“I remember we were having dinner in the evening, and I got tears in my eyes just watching us all having that final dinner together,” he told the outlet. “The final half hour was difficult. The doctors arrived and everything happened quickly – they follow their routine, and then it’s just a matter of minutes.”
Doctors administered the lethal medication to Jan and Els on June 3 and the couple died together at a local hospice, the People reported.
