When my mother came back from her trip to Europe,
she'd had pneumonia over there
and it was a very serious bout,
she suddenly felt very old.
My eyes have lost their sparkle.
I've got a, sort of, permanent headache.
I'm not able to work up any interest in anything.
It's not fun anymore.
Then, you know, she called me up and said,
“I need to talk to you. Bring a camera.
I have something I want to say.”
This needs to be made public. And the most effective way
of making anything public nowadays
is not to write a book. It’s to make a film.
And I am very, very privileged to have a daughter
and a granddaughter, who are filmmakers.
Therefore, I feel really almost obliged.
That little one!
I thought that maybe if we loved you enough,
you might change your mind.
Look, Laura!
Hello. Hello.
There's no way that you can have me forever.
There's no way. Right.
It’s got to happen.
But you've got so much life left in you.
I have to die.
There's no way that I can... that I can avoid it.
And I would rather face it now when I am compos mentis
and prepared for it.
She was gonna do this anyway,
so I don't think we had much choice.
It was support her or walk away.
Yes, she has the green light.
I confirm the date of 19th December, 2019,
for your assisted voluntary death.
I couldn't think of a better way to die.
Hello, hello, hello.
Yeah, I've got a 'tail' to tell...
(LAUGHS) as well.
Hello! Hello, everybody.
Hello.
The people that are here are the people that just love her,
and I think she's having a great time.
It just seems crazy that this is the last time
we get to see her.
(SIGHS)
It’s hard saying goodbye to someone.
I will miss you and love you forever,
and I'm proud of the fact that you are no shrinking violet.
(LAUGHTER)
The choice you're making is incredibly bold,
incredibly controversial,
and brings up a plethora of differing emotions,
sometimes on an hourly basis.
But the one thing I'm so grateful for is this.
It's a wonderful and rare thing to be able to
share these lessons,
and say thank you while you're here,
rather than in a eulogy at a funeral you won't attend.
I've had a good innings.
But I can do one last thing for the planet,
by dying in a way that may pave the way
for the law to be changed,
so that everybody can have this choice locally
and not have to go to Switzerland to benefit.
So, I raise my glass and I’ll say goodbye
with love to you all,
with the words that Nelson Mandela said,
“This is a cause for which I am prepared to die.”