"Let's Leave at the Same Time"... Dutch Couple Married for 50 Years Choose Euthanasia Together

Deciding on 'Assisted Euthanasia' Due to Worsening Health
Total of 33 Assisted Euthanasia Cases in the Netherlands Last Year

A Dutch couple in their 70s, who met in kindergarten and maintained their marriage for 50 years, ended their lives together through euthanasia.

A Couple Together Since Kindergarten Decides to Leave Life Together Amid Worsening Health

Jan Pijver (70, left) and Els van Leeningen (71), a Dutch couple who met in kindergarten and spent 50 years together, passed away through assisted euthanasia.
[Image source=BBC]

Recently, the BBC reported that Dutch couple Jan Faber (70) and Els van Leeningen (71) passed away together on June 3 after receiving medication from a doctor. Jan and Els first met during kindergarten. Jan was a hockey player for the Dutch youth national team during his childhood and later became a sports coach. Els worked as an elementary school teacher. They married in their twenties and had one son.

Both loved the sea, so they spent most of their married life on a boat. They even purchased a cargo ship and established a freight transport company. However, as they aged, their health began to decline. Jan, who had been moving heavy cargo for over ten years, underwent back surgery in 2003 due to persistent pain, but it did not improve. Els showed early signs of dementia after retiring from teaching in 2018 and was diagnosed with dementia in November 2022.

It is reported that they discussed euthanasia with their son before their conditions worsened further. Jan said, "If I took a lot of painkillers, I had to live like a zombie," and added, "Considering the pain I was experiencing and my wife's dementia, I thought we needed to end this life." He continued, "My son said, 'We don't want you to die. A better era will come when the disease can be cured,' which brought me to tears. But Els and I concluded that 'there was no other solution.'"

"Tears Just Watching Everyone Eat Dinner Together" They Said Goodbye to Those Around Them Before Passing

The couple spent time with their son and grandchildren the day before the euthanasia. The son took a walk on the beach with his mother, and the entire family shared a final dinner together. The next morning, the couple’s family and friends gathered at a local hospice and shared memories for two hours. After saying goodbye to everyone, the couple received medication from a doctor and peacefully ended their lives together within minutes. A photo taken a few days before their passing and the camper they lived in were left to the bereaved family.

Euthanasia Possible When Conditions Like Doctor’s Judgment Are Met... Calls for Legalization Growing Domestically

Earlier, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia in April 2002. Euthanasia is carried out when an individual voluntarily requests it, the person’s physical or psychological suffering is assessed by a doctor as 'unbearable,' and there is no prospect of improvement. Last year, 9,068 people died by euthanasia in the Netherlands, accounting for about 5% of all deaths. Among these, there were 33 cases of euthanasia performed on couples, totaling 66 people. Recently, voices advocating for the legalization of euthanasia, emphasizing the right to choose one’s own death, have been growing domestically as well.