Finale

This is what he wrote. I have transcribed it exactly - the lack of capitals and punctuation reflect John’s weak and tired state. We read this text for the first time after he had died, peacefully and with dignity, surrounded by the love of his family and the compassion of the Dignitas staff.

Dignitas are a wonderful, humane, voluntary organisation and John was treated with the utmost respect and kindness. John should have been able to die in his own home, preferably in his bay window whilst looking at the sunset. He wanted me to campaign to make it possible for other people to do so in future.

i am tired in the spirit and the body
if they carried me back to the taxi
i would soon be a corpse anyway
no more faxes
no more emails
no more reasons for living
to think through
it seems sad to have come
to such a grand city
and such good people
only to die
- these thoughts are those
of a weary, terminally ill man out of joint
they have no proper form
or ending
but thankfully
his life has...