In 2018, a 104-year-old scientist, accompanied by his family, went to Switzerland to perform euthanasia, and suddenly opened his eyes 30 seconds later, and spoke an astonishing speech that made everyone laugh and cry.
The end of life is often frightening and painful. But for the 104-year-old David Goodall, death has become the relief he craves. The old man, who had been awarded the National Order of Merit and had devoted his life to plant science, finally chose to end his life in Switzerland.
A century ago, in 1914, Goodale was born into an ordinary family. But it was a turbulent time, and the smoke of two world wars hung over his upbringing. The war was ruthless, but Goodale had a love for life, survived tenacity, and finally embarked on the road of scientific research.
Marriage, work, children, Goodale experienced almost all of life. In different countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, he used the gentle weapon of botany to reclaim the wasteland of knowledge. Successful and famous, Goodale has no regrets about life.
However, death tirelessly approached, and one by one relatives and friends died, turning Goodale into a dying old man. The hands that were once able to climb the rocks with ease are now trembling, and the eyes that were once bright are now dim.
The years have left an indelible mark on him, and his body is no longer as strong and powerful as it used to be.
Work, the source of passion and satisfaction that once gave him endless passion, now seems to have become boring.
Injured in a fall and restricted in his freedom of movement, Goodale is like a caged eagle, longing for the freedom that once soared into the sky.
He has dreamed countless times of those young and vigorous days, dreaming of himself running in the mountains and forests, dreaming of the determination and courage he had when he climbed the mountains.
However, when he woke up, he was faced with the relentless blow of reality - an aging, fragile body.
Once upon a time, Goodale was a 100 percent optimist. At the age of 101, he took his daughter through the wilderness, enjoying the gifts of nature and feeling the vitality of life.
At the age of 102, he struggled with the school for the right to continue working, and his perseverance and perseverance were admirable. But at the age of 104, an accidental fall made him completely lose his ability to take care of himself.
The lonely and boring life with nothing to do was like a sharp sword, piercing the old man's heart. Loneliness and despair followed, and Goodale began to miss the past, missing his departed family and friends.
He remembered the laughter and tears that had been there, and the people who had been by his side. The end of life is at hand, but it is longer and more torturous and painful than imagined when I was younger.
It was at this moment that the idea of euthanasia began to take shape in Goodall's mind. He tried to commit suicide twice, but was rescued. In desperation, Goodale applied to the Australian government for legal euthanasia, but was rejected because the conditions were too strict at the time.
"Open the last door of life", Goodale made up his mind and set his sights on a more open Switzerland. After layers of applications, he finally got a pass for euthanasia. For a time, the eyes of the global media focused on this 104-year-old "desperate old man".
"There are some regrets in life, but I have done my best. At the moment of euthanasia, Goodale did not grieve, but joked: "Why is it so slow?" This witty resonance struck a chord with netizens around the world.
Some praised him for his courage to face death, while others objected to his actions.
This debate about the meaning of life and the right to choose continues to the present day. Everyone's understanding of life is different, some people see death as relief from hunger and thirst, while others see it as regret and pain.
What do you think about this?
(Information source: "104-year-old Australian scientist will be euthanized and sing 'Ode to Joy'" at the press conference-China News Network New Media)
