Kevorkian was known as Dr. Death for helping terminally ill people commit suicide.
That’s sad. I know he was controversial, but I think he did a great many people a great service.
One reason I’m glad I live in Oregon, with its ‘death with dignity’ law. I won’t have to rely on someone on the fringes of the legal system to get the job done when the time comes. He was a pioneer, for sure.
R.I.P. I think he was a hero to a great many people.
So… natural causes? Pussy.
I am sure there will be many who say “good riddance”, but thanks to Jack, the discussion of end of life rights was brought to the forefront. No matter if you agree with him or not, he was a brave man who stuck to his principles and forced people to discuss a subject many would rather have ignored.
Who got credit for the assist?
One of my favorite Chopping Block comics ever was about Dr. Kevorkian.
I liked Jack for the way he lived frugally without much concern for material goods. I understand he donated quite a bit earlier in his life too.
I believe his cause was just. He developed too much ego in the end and damaged the cause to some extent. Assisted death has been and still does go on in our society. Doctors know people are dying and want to die. Sometimes they permit it to happen when they could do more. When the patient and the family are of like mind about the situation, the doctor tends to go in that direction.
I had one brother who wanted to die and the system spent hundreds of thousands of dollars stretching out the inevitable. I had another brother who was just ready to go. He stayed out of the health care system and died quietly at home. People deserve to have a choice.
I admired him. Rest in peace Jack.
Definitely a worthy cause, but toward the end of his turn in the limelight, he just seemed a little too gleeful to me. Still, more good than harm.
RIP. He did good.
He was one scarey looking dude!
The man was in love with death-he seemed obsessed with it. His research as a ypung pathologist involved transfusing blod from corpses.
I hope he is in a better place.
An article about him back in his heyday quoted an old girlfriend – ex-wife? – as saying he was fascinated with death because no one in his family had ever lived past their 60s, and he wanted to beat it. Can’t provide a cite, but I remember it.
Anyway, RIP. Yes, a little creepy-looking, but a noble cause nonetheless.
Assuming he did enjoy his work, even to a creepy extent, so what? How did that impact anyone except him? Honestly, if it comes down to it for me, I’d rather have someone who enjoys the process and is thus willing to take the time to do a good job than someone who just wants to be out of there and will rush things.
My favorite fun fact related to Kevorkian - his attorney, Jeffrey Fieger, is the brother of the guy who was the lead singer for The Knack (“My Sharona”).
RIP Dr Death.
R.I.P. He was a true hero.
Antihero, at least. Maverick. Ideologue. I think he had a good heart.
Frontline had a good program on assisted suicide and they showed an ALS patient all the way through the process. The judge who sentenced Kevorkian better hope Karma was on vacation that day.