Thus I grew to know you as someone with respect for others, with a very rational dispensation. Your summing-up of your health condition and your plans to deal with it were thus quite in character with your personality and your courage.
I cannot begin to imagine what you have been through these last few years of your life. Yes, last year I knew what it is like to have cancer – but fortunately for me, it was one that could be dealt with simply by surgery. But after Doc told me about your condition, I read up about it and only then realised that it was an incurable illness. And that, added to your colon problems, obviously, would make future life for a young man like you untenable.
And so, in these last few years of being ill and having to suffer beyond anything that others could imagine, you have, with great courage, decided on ending your life. I wonder what I would have done if I had been in your situation? Probably, I would have made the same decision because, in a sense, Susan and I already have. We have both made Living Wills that request that if we are beyond repair, we not be kept alive artificially and that all the machines be switched off. So, in a sense, we have already taken the decision that if we could not continue to live through our own means, we should be allowed to die.
So that brings me to the question. We all know that we are going to die at some time in the future. What we do not know is how and when. Should I thus sign a document that says, “When I get ill, I must be put away”, not knowing when that might be?
I have, until now, not brought God into our debate. However, I know that you are a true believer, and the fact that you have been meeting George Irvine on a regular basis is of great consolation to me. I have great respect for him and his views and have no doubt that he will counsel you well in this difficult time. I pray that through your meetings with him you will make the right decision.
Having said that, it would seem to me that you have already decided. I have read about Dignitas in Zurich and I must say to you, as a friend and someone who loves you, please think again. I know your condition is incurable. I personally find it hard to believe in miracles. But I know that you were created by God and conceived by your parents to fulfil an important role on earth, even if it be at great personal expense to you.
You have so much to offer the world as Craig, alive, albeit suffering, than a Craig who we once knew.
Go and read about Stephen Hawking, perhaps he can be a role model to you. In saying this, I am not downplaying what you are suffering, and have already suffered and are likely to suffer. I know that you did not reach your decision to go to Switzerland without a great deal of pain and courage.
I would never judge you for deciding as you have, but I pray that you will change your mind.
If, however, you decide to follow your will, please let me know. I will not try to talk you out of what you feel, but I would like to bid you farewell.
May God, as in The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost, bless you.
Bruce
From: Craig Schonegevel
To: Dignitas
Sent: Sunday, 21 June 2009 8:11 PM
Subject: Request for Accompanied Suicide
Dear Mr Minelli
Craig Carstens Schonegevel: Membership No: 254.80.471.
Request for accompanied suicide
I reluctantly write to you with the knowledge that you and your organisation are facing a number of challenges and that you must be fully extended in dealing with a great amount of work.
The purpose of this communication is to establish whether Dignitas is able to give me a rough indication by when I should know whether or not I have been given the “green light”.
My situation is that I have a growth on my arm, very close to the ulna nerve, which is causing considerable pain and I need to decide if and when I am going to have surgery. The recovery period is six months and I would like to avoid this surgery depending on how long I must wait before knowing whether I am given the “green light”.
Furthermore, I have been living on liquids for the past seven weeks in order to avoid another obstruction in my colon and the probable need for further surgery.
Ideally, I want to have assisted suicide in Switzerland with the help of Dignitas as soon as you give me the “green light”. I eagerly and respectfully await your response.
Yours sincerely
Craig Carstens Schonegevel
South Africa
From: Craig Schonegevel
To: Dignitas
Sent: Thursday, 25 June 2009 18:42
Subject: Fw: Request for Accompanied Suicide
Dear Mr Minelli
I refer to my email dated 21 June 2009 and ask you to indicate by when you hope to respond as I am becoming increasingly anxious.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely
Craig Schonegevel
From: Dignitas
To: Craig Schonegevel
Sent: Monday, 29 June 2009 12:29 PM
Subject: Fw: Request for Accompanied Suicide
Dear Mr Schonegevel
We thank you for your letter, in which you ask us to prepare an accompanied suicide and with which you enclosed all the necessary documents.
Your request has been sent for assessment to one of the doctors
