Today: Dr. Jack Kevorkian, Pioneer for Physician-Assisted Suicide, Dies at 83

“Dying is not a crime” —Dr. Kevorkian

As the topic of aid-in-dying heats up across the nation like never before, it seems fitting that Jack Kevorkian departs us — the man who first sparked the public debate on (so-called) “physician-assisted suicide” and medical ethics. A greatly contentious figure in life, most supporters of end-of-life rights would describe Jack Kevorkian as a contemporary American hero.

Kevorkian died at age 83, June 3^rd, in a hospital near his home in West Bloomfield, Michigan, where Kevorkian has lived since his residency at the University of Michigan Medical School. Hospitalized for kidney problems (which had plagued him for years) and pneumonia, Kevorkian’s heart stopped as the result of a pulmonary thrombosis. Kevorkian experienced a “good death”: natural causes, no pain, his niece at his side, and the music of his favorite musician, Johann Sebastian Bach, playing over the intercom.

Jack Kevorkian, dubbed “Dr. Death,” will best be remembered for his determination to relieve the suffering of terminal patients, including brazen support of “right-to-die” legislation. Kevorkian estimated that over the course of his career, he assisted in the deaths of at least 130 patients suffering from terminal conditions. Having faced murder charges throughout the 1990’s, Kevorkian was eventually convicted of second-degree murder and served eight years of his sentence. He was paroled in 2007 and would not help any more patients in need.

Due to the progress of dialogue and legislation around aid-in-dying issues in past years, the term “physician-assisted suicide” is becoming outdated, as supporters recognize that “aid-in-dying” more appropriately frames the discussion. We owe so much of our growing success on the aid-in-dying front to Kevorkian’s groundbreaking efforts and self-sacrifice. Dr. Kevorkian lived to see the legalization of aid-in-dying in three states: Oregon, Montana, and Washington. The rest is up to us.

“How can you regret helping a suffering patient?” —Dr. Kevorkian

Watch an interview with Kevorkian here.