Elderly couple commit suicide together

[kombat]

I can't figure out if this is sad or romantic.

Elderly Couple Use Plastic Bags to Suffocate Each Other, Can't Bear to Be Apart

An elderly couple in England used a suicide manual and plastic bags to kill each other because they couldn't bear the thought of any circumstance that would cause them to be apart, the Daily Mail reported.

The couple, who had been together for more than 60 years, drank whisky before they tied plastic bags around their heads using elastic bands, according to the Daily Mail.

They laid in bed listening to music as they suffocated to death, according to the report.

I'm not sure what to think of this story. On the one hand, I can sympathize, but on the other hand, it seems somewhat selfish. What do others think?

[superdave]

Don't think I could condem or condone. But I can understand.

[Nords]

Copycats.

With Suicide, an Admiral Keeps Command Until the End - New York Times

Note the lack of unbiased reporting on this subject, which is perhaps the way it should be:
AFSP: For the Media: Examples of Reporting

Does Old Age Make Suicide Ethical?

Elderly Murder-Suicides Indicate Desperation, not Compassion, Study Shows

Dr. Nuland, in particular, is a very persuasive author with his book "How We Die". He points out that both decisions may be correct and may also be extraordinarily painful, as he goes on to describe in graphic detail. The hardest part is separating ethics & intellect from chronic depression & dementia/Alzheimers.

[TromboneAl]

What do you mean by "selfish?"

[CuppaJoe]

What do you suppose the music was?

I would go for: Richard Strauss' "Death and Transfiguration." IMO, it's one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.

[Notmuchlonger]

Id like to go out with Ride of the Valkyries playing

[REWahoo]

Unfortunately this situation isn't all that unusual.

A few years ago an elderly couple a few houses up from us on our street did the same thing. Both in their 70's with children living out of state. She had some form of cancer and his health was declining to the point where he was having trouble caring for her. One evening he spread plastic on the utility room floor. He helped her into the room and lay down beside her, then called his son so they could tell him goodbye. He hung up, shot her in the head and then himself.

[haha]

Originally Posted by REWahoo

Unfortunately this situation isn't all that unusual.

A few years ago an elderly couple a few houses up from us on our street did the same thing. Both in their 70's with children living out of state. She had some form of cancer and his health was declining to the point where he was having trouble caring for her. One evening he spread plastic on the utility room floor. He helped her into the room and lay down beside her, then called his son so they could tell him goodbye. He hung up, shot her in the head and then himself.

I think they were pissed enough at the son to want him to have nightmares the rest of his life.

Ha

[REWahoo]

I'd wager it worked...

[lazygood4nothinbum]

i think it is more selfish to keep someone alive who no longer cares to be here.

[kombat]

Originally Posted by TromboneAl

What do you mean by "selfish?"

I meant if they had family that cared for them, then this would be very painful for them.

[Khan]

Originally Posted by lazygood4nothinbum

i think it is more selfish to keep someone alive who no longer cares to be here.

Absolutely.

Grandma may be in pain and misery and fed through a tube and dependent upon minimum wage folks to turn her over and clean her at regular intervals; but her kinfolk are keeping her 'alive' for some reason or other.

When the 15 year old cat had kidney failure, I had him put down.

When the 18 year old cat had a stroke, I had him put down.

When I have a stroke at 80 or so, can I expect the same mercy?

[bbbamI]

A couple of years ago in our town, an elderly husband and wife took their own life. Earlier that day, the husband sent an overnight letter to a friend. When the friend got it, the letter said for him to call our police department. The bodies were found.

There must be a better way.

[Khan]

Originally Posted by bbbamI

A couple of years ago in our town, an elderly husband and wife took their own life. Earlier that day, the husband sent an overnight letter to a friend. When the friend got it, the letter said for him to call our police department. The bodies were found.

There must be a better way.

There should be a better way.

If people could choose the time freely, they could probably stay around longer. As it is, they have to go too early for fear of waiting too long and having others take control.

[Trek]

That's true love right there.

But there should be a legal way to comfortably end your own life.

Suicide is man's way of telling God, "You can't fire me - I quit" - Bill Maher

When you've got nowhere to turn, turn on the gas - Truman Capote

[yakers]

Originally Posted by Khan

There should be a better way.

Its an unfortunate part of the human condition. I liked what I learned in a science class, many years ago, about a wild kind of chicken in Africa. Anyway, the top rooster is 'king of the hill', gets all the hens and is top in every way. But with the role he also gets to check out under certain bushes where most of the seeds the chickens eat fall. Unfortunately, that is also where the predator snake also sometimes hangs out. It just seemed like a better kind of structure. Why not have life designed to go out at the 'top of your game' rather than slowly degenerating?

[Insanity]

We retire so we can move on to a new phase in our lives, have fun, explore new things. It sounds like these two had retired and then reached the point where the aches and pains of life looked like they'd outweigh the advantages of being retired, of continuing on. It might not be the right thing for everyone, but it sounds like they were sound of mind when they made the decision to end it. Who am I to say they decided wrong?

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Insanity

Who am I to say they decided wrong?

Unfortunately we're also not in a position to judge whether or not they were of sound mind (not demented or early-stage Alzheimer's), chronically depressed, overdrugged on prescription medications, or coerced. Heck, I get seriously concerned about what my MIL's going to do to me when she's rantingdiscussing politics, let alone what she might do to her spouse if they're alone together.

In other words we can't tell if they killed themselves because they saw life as it is, because they saw life as they thought it was going to be, or if they just temporarily lost the big picture.

Spouse says that when she thinks I've had it then she's going to get me on a longboard, shove me out toward the lineup, and let my reflexes take over. She expects this tactic will solve our problems one way or another.

[Notmuchlonger]

Well there are worse ways to go thats for sure.

[FlogBlogger]

That's one more vote for retiring to Oregon and their Death with Dignity Act: FAQs about Death with Dignity