A brave man

[Gob]

Gripping his wife's hand tightly with a smile across his face, this is the heart-breaking moment a 57-year-old British father took his own life at a Swiss assisted suicide clinic.



In controversial scenes aired by the BBC last night, businessman Simon Binner played a poignant last message to his wife Debbie from his deathbed before turning on the drip that killed him.

Viewers were left distraught by the emotional footage which showed the motor neurone disease sufferer saying goodbye to family and friends before administering the life-ending drugs.

The scenes were described by viewers as 'the saddest they had ever seen', but even more controversial footage was cut at the last minute after the BBC came under pressure from the Samaritans.

The BBC had planned to show footage featuring Simon's lifeless body at the assisted suicide clinic in Basel, Switzerland, but was forced to make last minute changes to the harrowing documentary.

After bowing to pressure from the charity, the Corporation decided to edit out footage of his corpse, as well as scenes detailing the drugs he used to kill himself on October 19 last year.

Many praised Simon's bravery and the strength of his wife who supported him until his dying day.
Julia Strong wrote: 'Cried all the way through this but what an inspiring man Simon was, living life to the full and knowing what was right for him.'

Adam Callinan wrote: 'The most emotional thing I've ever watched. Fantastic documentary.'

And another user added: 'I just watched possibly the saddest programme I've ever seen. I urge everyone to watch it, so hard to watch but so important #simonschoice.'

The heart-wrenching documentary followed Simon Binner's journey from his diagnosis of motor neurone disease last summer to his death just a few months later on October 19.

The cameras followed him around as he enjoyed a final few months with friends and family, and also gave an insight into the deeply distressing life of a terminally ill patient deciding to take their life.

HIS HEARTBREAKING FINAL WORDS
'Hi Debbie, it's Simon here, I've loved you very, very much Debbie. I haven't deserved you or Hannah or Zoe. Such loving and caring young ladies, and I've been such a grumpy gruffalo for much of the time.
'But I really love you Debbie. We've had such a fun and laughter-filled marriage, we were really blessed to have found one another.
'The one blessing of a slow decline is that we've had time to speak about things over 10 long months, not like losing me in a car smash.
'We've really said everything that needs to be said. You've been a truly fantastic wife to me Debbie and I know that you loved me and I've loved you.
'Anyway, time and tide wait for no man, I love you very much Debbie. Goodbye.'

After following his journey right up until the point of him arriving at the suicide clinic, the footage showed Simon enjoying a final farewell meal with his family and friends on the eve of his death.

It then showed him taking his own life on Monday, October 19, at 9.38am while surrounded by his wife and four friends. His daughters, Hannah and Zoe, were not present at the time of his death.

In deeply traumatic scenes, he could be seen – dressed in a smart chequered shirt – lying on a bed at the suicide clinic, holding his wife's hand, as a pre-recorded message played out around the room.

The heart-breaking documentary showed the businessman administering the drugs which ended his life, before cutting to a black screen. His wife Debbie has called the BBC Two show a 'beautiful documentary'

As the message came to a close, he could be seen administering the life-ending drugs in highly upsetting footage - which MailOnline has decided not to repeat.

The film then cut to a black screen before a coffin was wheeled into the room. His wife could be seen embracing friends as they left the assisted suicide clinic.

The heart-wrenching scenes were cut short just before the controversial programme went to air after the BBC came under pressure from the Samaritans.

The charity raised concerns that the Corporation may fall foul of guidelines that prevent broadcasters from giving detailed guidance about suicide methods.

Among the footage to be deleted from an earlier preview of the documentary, which was broadcast to journalists, was Simon's lifeless body following his death and a description by staff at the Eternal Spirit clinic of how the anaesthetic used to end his life affects the human body.

The documentary, which has come under fire from charities who branded it 'deeply disturbing', was supported by Simon's wife, who praised the film and said she hopes it sparks a 'grown-up debate'.

Speaking to MailOnline yesterday, she said: 'It's all a bit much at the moment. But what I will say is that it's a beautiful documentary. We have done it to show the complexities of the argument'.

When asked whether she accepted criticism of her husband's decision to film his death, which he had previously announced on LinkedIn, the 51-year-old said: 'It's not a black and white issue'.

She added: 'People get these illnesses. It can happen to anyone. It's so important to have a debate.

'I'm not telling anybody what to do we just wanted to show the complex issues and use our experience to help move on the debate'.

The documentary began with a home video showing Simon in a hotel room during a holiday with his wife to celebrate their fourteenth wedding anniversary.

In the footage, she could be heard asking him if he is having a nice time with him only able to communicate by putting his thumbs up to the camera and smiling – having lost his speech to the disease.

Other heart-breaking scenes show him reuniting with his friends, many of whom he knew for more than 40 years, and show him struggling to communicate with them at a dinner party due to his lack of speech.

He informed them of his decision to end his life with a text message. It read: 'I am booked to die now on Monday 2 November. Thank you for bringing the annual Christ College reunion forward on my account.'

Many of his friends expressed their concerns about his decision to take his life, with some suggesting he made the choice 'too early'.

One former school friend said: 'We have sustained a great friendship through all this time. He seems to be checking out ahead of his time and I'm not entirely comfortable with his decision.
'I think he has chosen a date that it is too soon.'

Another friend, Dr Simon Sandberg, said: 'Debbie has rights in this. If Debbie was more resolute, that would make it a much more difficult matter for all of us.'
Throughout his de


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k

[rubato]

It is a tough subject, very painful, which is why we all want to turn away rather than face it and have a discussion about it. But however slowly it does seem to be progressing here and there. It is a choice I would want for myself if faced with a degenerative condition.




yrs,
rubato

[RayThom]

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Department of Neurology, Cognitive Neurology/Neuropsychology have just discovered a cure for motor neurone disease. Details will soon be available in the March edition of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

[datsunaholic]

Having seen 2 of my crewmates from my Navy days go through progressive degenerative diseases (one had ALS, from diagnosis -> wheelchair was 6 months, but he "lived" another 18 months after that) I can't say I can blame folks who decide to end it.

[Fafhrd]

Not completely on topic, but the Virginia general assembly has just voted to reinstate the electric chair for executions. No one would sell drugs to the State for execution purposes. Why didn't they just to the the nearest veterinarian for whatever they use to put dogs "to sleep"?

[TPFKA@W]

Not for everyone but it needs to be available for those who would want it.

Dog drugs are probably not appropriate for humans nor are they likely available in abundance as they are controlled.

[Jarlaxle]

Having seen 2 of my crewmates from my Navy days go through progressive degenerative diseases (one had ALS, from diagnosis -> wheelchair was 6 months, but he "lived" another 18 months after that) I can't say I can blame folks who decide to end it.

If diagnosed with ALS (and it is a real possibility for me), I will most likely eat a shotgun that day. Not fuckin' worth it.

[Jarlaxle]

Not completely on topic, but the Virginia general assembly has just voted to reinstate the electric chair for executions. No one would sell drugs to the State for execution purposes. Why didn't they just to the the nearest veterinarian for whatever they use to put dogs "to sleep"?

The company likely refuses to sell them.

Personally, it seems to me that 10,000mg each of morphine and strychnine would work just fine.

[rubato]

They can buy potassium chloride from a chemical supplier and then formulate and filter it themselves. They are intending to kill with this solution so that infection &c are not issues. The other drugs, usually a barbiturate and a hypnotic, are easily obtained; just have some neutral state agency buy them and then transfer them to the prisons.


yrs,
rubato

[Jarlaxle]

Why go through the hassle? It seems to me that 10,000mg each of morphine and strychnine would work just fine.