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Published 13:26 03 Sep 2025 GMT
In a heartbreaking revelation, a daughter has shared the shocking way she discovered that her mother traveled to Switzerland to end her life - without their family’s knowledge.
Maureen Slough, a 58-year-old from Cavan, Ireland, told her family on July 8 that she was going on vacation to Lithuania with a friend, per PEOPLE.
However, Maureen confided in two close friends that her true destination was Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal.
On the evening of July 9, Megan Royal, Maureen’s daughter, received a disturbing message from one of her mother’s friends.
“A close friend of hers messaged me on the Wednesday night, possibly at like 10:00PM I was in bed with the baby,” Royal, a mother of two, recalled in an interview with The Irish Independent.
“He just replied like, ‘Your mom’s in Switzerland.’ He’s like, ‘You have a right to know. I was sworn to secrecy. She’s there and she wants assisted suicide.’ I was so scared in that moment.”
In a state of panic, Royal immediately called her father, who tried reaching Maureen in Switzerland.
Maureen reassured them that she would be coming back. But just a day later, around 1:00PM, Megan received a devastating WhatsApp message: her mother had passed away.
“What was worse was not only did I get the text on WhatsApp, they had advised me that her ashes would be posted to me in 6-8 weeks,” Megan shared. “In that very moment, because I was alone, I just sat there with the baby and cried… I just felt like my world ended.”
The text message, sent by Pegasos, a nonprofit assisted dying organization in Switzerland, informed Megan of Maureen’s death.
She learned that Maureen had applied quietly to Pegasos, paying £15,000 ($20,000) to end her life.
Assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland since 1942. Unlike euthanasia, which is illegal, assisted suicide allows patients to self-administer life-ending medication.
Following Maureen’s death, her family struggled to understand how she had made this decision without their knowledge or consent.
Megan described her mother as “fiery, smart, and dedicated” but also acknowledged that Maureen had long struggled with mental health issues. Maureen had previously attempted suicide while grappling with the grief of losing her two younger sisters.
“No one’s saying she wasn’t feeling pain,” Megan told The Irish Independent. “Not pain good enough to go and end her life. She had a lot more life to live and give. She was just in a dark time. She wasn’t terminally ill or, in my opinion, ill enough to go and do this and leave our family behind like that.”
In the weeks following her mother’s death, Megan learned more about the process leading up to Maureen’s decision to end her life with Pegasos.
The organization informed both Megan and the Irish Independent that Maureen underwent an extensive evaluation before her death.
This included an independent psychiatric assessment that confirmed Maureen was of sound mind and capable of making the decision.
According to Pegasos, Maureen had explained her history of mental illness and expressed that she was suffering from “unbearable chronic pain.”
They also shared that Megan had written a letter acknowledging her mother’s decision, despite her disagreement with it.
However, Megan and her family question whether the email Pegasos used to confirm her letter’s authenticity was actually sent by Maureen herself.
Megan believes her mother might have responded on her behalf, casting doubt on the organization’s verification process.
“This is all just a confusing story,” Megan stated. “It wasn’t even my email. With anything these days, 99% of things you settle you get a call to your phone. So why is it not like this when you’re about to lose your life?”
She added: “People are saying to me, ‘At least you didn’t find her in a bad way over here.’ Well, it was just as bad to me.”
Megan expressed frustration that after Maureen’s assisted suicide, Pegasos had minimal communication with the family.
“She was in and out in two days and that was the end of their communication with me,” Megan said. “Not even a condolence letter with her urn. Not even a fragile sticker on the box, just bounced around the back of a post van.”
Megan’s uncle, Philip, a solicitor in the UK, is now fighting for answers. He has written to the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office in the UK, asking them to investigate the situation with Swiss authorities.
In his letter, Philip criticized Pegasos for failing to inform the family before proceeding with Maureen’s assisted suicide.
“While I understand that Swiss law permits assisted dying, the Pegasos clinic has faced numerous criticisms in the UK for their practices with British nationals, and the circumstances in which my sister took her life are highly questionable,” Philip wrote, according to Right to Life UK.
By early August, Maureen’s ashes had arrived, and the family began preparing for her funeral. Megan shared that they planned to bury Maureen alongside her two younger sisters.
“We’re going to bury her with her two sisters,” Megan said. “I’m still struggling with grief.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
Published 16:28 02 Apr 2025 GMT
Heartbreaking details of a mom's death at a controversial Swiss assisted suicide clinic have been revealed.
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Anne Canning, 51, ended her life at the Pegasos clinic near Basel earlier this year, despite reportedly not being terminally ill.
Her loved ones only discovered what had happened after receiving heartbreaking goodbye letters she had written shortly before her death.
“Dear Delia, So if you're reading this, I am no longer here,” she wrote to her sister, cited by Daily Mail. “I have thought about this long and hard and need to find Joe and ask him some questions.
“There is nothing you could have done because this was my decision to go to Switzerland and be in peace… I can't keep going and get older and older without my son," she continued.
Anne’s son Joe, a tennis instructor from Johnston, Wales, “sadly passed away suddenly” on July 19, 2023. Tributes remembered him as an “amazing young man” and “a lovely lad” with “the kindest heart.”
Anne’s sudden decision has torn her family apart. “She was one of the healthiest people we know,” her sister Delia told ITV News, pointing to social media pictures showing the late woman rock climbing in the months before her death.
“Anyone who loses a child probably wants to die and be with them… But with the right help, she could have got through it," she shared.
Her brother John said he dismissed the idea at first: “I thought there's no way anybody could possibly go through with it, given the circumstances.”
They both believed Anne was simply on holiday in Switzerland when the truth emerged in her letters. As they scrambled to trace her whereabouts, they emailed Pegasos for answers but got silence at first.
“She is my sister. Please tell me if she is there," Delia pleaded. "We just want to know where she is, if she did it, or will come home to us.”
Seven agonizing hours after another urgent plea which read: “Yes or No: Is my sister deceased or not?!” - the clinic finally confirmed that Anne "chose to die".
“She died gently and not alone. I hope her letters help you to accept this,” they wrote. “All official papers and her urn will be sent to her brother John.”
Delia responded to the clinic: “This was NOT the right decision for her," but they doubled down in an email, saying: “Anne no longer wanted to live, she felt alone and superfluous. She also did not want to grow old. This is a free decision of a free person.”
The family was stunned that Pegasos hadn’t contacted them earlier, especially after the clinic promised to change its policies following a similar case just last year.
Alistair Hamilton, a British chemistry teacher with no known illness, also ended his life at Pegasos in 2023 without telling his loved ones.
His mother, Judith, 82, called the clinic’s actions “despicable” and said: “I am extremely angry. I cannot believe that despite what we were told, Pegasos have acted in the same heartless, cruel manner as they did when Alistair died."
Back then, Pegasos owner Ruedi Habegger had reportedly promised to phone families before carrying out assisted suicides. Judith said he vowed to dial loved ones on speakerphone if someone arrived alone. That never happened in Anne’s case.
Pegasos charges clients around 10,000 CHF (about $11,100) for what it calls death with minimal "bureaucracy,” including cremation and shipping of ashes.
Their process includes fitting a cannula to the patient’s arm, with a drug infusion triggered by the person themselves. Even tetraplegic clients can administer it, using what the clinic describes as “an ingenious device that requires a simple bump.”
The clinic also offers Spotify playlists so clients can choose their final soundtrack. Friends, family, and pets are welcome to attend the “gentle end of life".
Despite its promises, Pegasos did not inform Anne’s family. The clinic told outlets that it had tried to contact John before her death, but he insisted he received no communication.
Delia said the clinic’s actions have “absolutely devastated the family… It has destroyed us.” John added: “Why do they possibly think they have the right to do these things without contacting her family? It just seems evil to me… not to give us a chance to speak to her.”
Two of Anne’s friends reportedly said she had a right to die without telling her family, but her loved ones disagree.
Dyfed Powys Police confirmed it’s investigating the circumstances of Anne’s death. A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said, “We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Switzerland and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Published 17:37 25 Jan 2025 GMT
A daughter has spoken out about the tragic night she sent her mother an innocent joke - unaware that she had actually died.
On January 31, 2021, Maureen Branigan spent a seemingly ordinary day with her mother, Debbie Branigan, in Philadelphia.
The two had gone grocery shopping, cooked dinner, and ended the day cuddling on the sofa while watching lighthearted TV, as reported by PEOPLE.
As the evening progressed and a snowstorm rolled in, Debbie decided it was time to head home. She lived just three blocks away.
Debbie, 52, had faced health issues for years, including type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.
However, Maureen recalls that her mother had been in relatively good spirits and health that day.
Despite this, Debbie often joked about slipping and injuring herself in the snow, which prompted Maureen to text her mom shortly after she left: “Did u make it home alive lol?”
But the reply never came.
“I didn’t think twice when she didn’t respond,” Maureen, 30, told PEOPLE. “It wasn’t uncommon for her to go home, go to bed, and FaceTime me the next morning to make plans for the day. We spent every day together.”
It wasn’t until later that night, when Maureen’s fiancé walked the dog, that he noticed something was wrong. Debbie’s car was still parked outside - alongside an ambulance. He quickly alerted Maureen, who recalls feeling a creeping sense of dread.
"Immediately, I called my dad and told him to come quickly," Maureen said. "The medics wouldn’t tell us anything, and we were stuck in limbo."
Her fears were soon confirmed. After following the ambulance to a nearby hospital, Maureen learned her mother had passed away from cardiac arrest.
“Honestly, it wasn’t the first time I had texted her something like that. We joked morbidly pretty often," the daughter said.
In recent months, Maureen, now a stay-at-home mom, took to TikTok to share her journey of grief.
One post in particular - a video highlighting her final text to her mom - went viral.
The video, which included a screenshot of the "Did u make it home alive lol?" message, gained over 670,000 views and hundreds of comments.
“Without a doubt, the ‘are u alive lol’ text captured a glimpse of our sense of humor,” Maureen said. “A few people in my life have even agreed—it makes sense that this was the last text I sent her.”
In a comment, Maureen added further detail, saying: "I did walk her to the car, got stuff out of the trunk and said bye as she started up the car. She went into cardiac arrest before pulling away."
Now, nearly two years since Debbie’s passing, Maureen continues to navigate life without her. She describes the journey as non-linear but filled with lessons about love, loss, and resilience.
“Some days I cry, and other days I gossip to her as if she can still hear me and answer back,” she said. “I miss her in every moment of every day—the big and the small.”
Maureen’s story has also become a source of comfort and guidance for others coping with grief.
“Your grief is yours, no one else’s,” she said. “You might be grieving the same person as a lot of other people, but your grief is sacred. There’s no right or wrong way to grieve, and no timeline.”
Somewhat amazingly, Maureen's comments section has been flooded by dozens of people revealing that they also went through a similar experience when messaging a loved one.
"My dad and I had been texting all day. He didn’t reply for a couple hours and I said 'are u alive?? Lmao' and he was not alive," one person wrote.
A second wrote: "My last unanswered text to my dad was 'How are you feeling?' He in fact was not feeling great."
Published 15:42 24 Apr 2026 GMT
Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying which some readers may find distressing.
Wendy Duffy has split opinion in recent weeks, as she decided to end her life via assisted dying in Switzerland this week.
The 56-year-old Brit has made headlines as she is not physically ill, unlike others who usually choose to travel to an overseas assisted dying clinic to bring life to an end.
Duffy has travelled to Swiss clinic Pegasos, which is known for helping people end their lives on their own terms.
She has been planning the move for over a year and the process set her back $13,000, as she also wrote farewell letters and chose her final outfit, before ending her life today (April 24).
'Die With A Smile' by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars was the song that played when she passed too, as Duffy self-administered the medication with medical professionals watching over her, as required by Swiss law.
Her decision stems from the pain and trauma caused by the death of her only child, Marcus, 23, just four years ago.
He had choked on food which became stuck in his windpipe.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, she explained: "I want to die, and that’s what I’m going to do,
"It will be hard for everyone. But I want to die, and that's what I'm going to do.
"And I'll have a smile on my face when I do, so please be happy for me. My life; my choice."
Duffy explained the process: "They put the line in [to your arm] but you've got to turn the doobra [the dial] yourself to get it flowing.
"Then – ding, ding, ding – within a minute, you are in a coma, and a minute after that, you are gone."
The Daily Mail reported today that Duffy died at the assisted suicide clinic in Basel today, following a "sane suicide".
Ruedi Habegger, the founder of Pegasos, said in a statement: "I can confirm that Wendy Duffy, at her own request, was assisted to die on April 24 and that the procedure was completed without incident and in full compliance with her wishes,
"I can also confirm that neither we nor any of the professional staff assessing her mental capacity had any doubt as to her intention, understanding and independence of both thought and action,
“In historical terms at English law, hers was a case of ‘sane suicide.’”
She stated: "I won't change my mind. It will be hard for everyone but I want to die, and that's what I'm going to do.
Claiming that she will have a smile on her face, she urged: "Please be happy for me," adding: "My life, my choice."
Patients must show they are mentally competent and have not been pushed to make the decision by an outside party.
Pegasos has less strict rules than Digitas, with the death procedure consisting of a lengthy evaluation of a written request and medical information, and at least two face-to-face meetings with a qualified doctor.
Duffy fit the clinic's criteria, as Habegger said before the process: "Wendy is very decided. I saw her at her hotel today, I had a long talk with her and with the psychiatrist that is going to see her a second time before the VAD [voluntary assisted death].
"He is very confident that we are doing the right thing letting her go, that we should not stand in her way.
"She is absolutely not in a depressive state. I’m very experienced in this field. There are no worries with Wendy, none at all."
Duffy says that she has seen all types of deaths "a million times," as she was a care worker.
”You could give me a house full of dogs, I’m doing this," Duffy stated at the time.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available via Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Published 12:05 23 Apr 2026 GMT
A healthy 56-year-old woman has opened up about why she is flying to a controversial suicide clinic to end her life.
Wendy Duffy's decision to travel to Pegasos, a clinic in Switzerland that assists individuals in ending their lives, has been over a year in the making.
Unlike many of the people who seek assisted death, the woman, who is from England, is not physically ill.
Instead, her decision comes from the emotional pain and trauma she has been experiencing since the death of her only child, Marcus, four years ago.
"I want to die, and that’s what I’m going to do," she told the Daily Mail. "It will be hard for everyone. But I want to die, and that's what I'm going to do. And I'll have a smile on my face when I do, so please be happy for me. My life; my choice."
Duffy has made preparations for her end. She has paid over $13,000 for the procedure, written farewell letters, chosen her final outfit, and selected Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' 'Die With A Smile' as the song that will play as she passes.
She will administer the medication herself under the supervision of medical professionals, a requirement of the law.
"They put the line in [to your arm] but you've got to turn the doobra [the dial] yourself to get it flowing. Then – ding, ding, ding – within a minute, you are in a coma, and a minute after that, you are gone," she explained.
Marcus’s sudden death, caused by a tragic accident when he choked on a cherry tomato while resting on the couch, has left Duffy unable to cope with life.
She describes feeling emotionally numb and detached, unable to connect with the world around her.
"I exist. I don’t live,” she said. "Even though I've got family, I've got friends, I've got my routines.
"I go to the park. I'm not lonely, but I still sit at night, and I talk to Marcus, and I kiss the box I had made for his ashes, and I say 'goodnight, sunshine,' and I think 'I don't want to be in this world without you, Markie'. And I don't. It's as simple as that," she added.
Even though Switzerland allows assisted suicide for people with serious and chronic conditions, there are strict requirements. A panel of experts, including psychiatrists, reviewed the 56-year-old's application for months before approving her case.
"I've sat with so many people as they've gone. I've seen nice deaths, horrible deaths. I want a nice, gentle one," she said. "My life, my choice. I wish this was available in the UK, then I wouldn't have to go to Switzerland at all."
Wendy is not the only person traveling to Switzerland for Pegasos. Each week, at least one British citizen reportedly travels to the country to end their lives, with the clinic confirming that several cases have come from the UK.
The clinic's founder, Ruedi Habegger, insists that the application process is thorough, and clients must meet all legal criteria for assisted suicide.
As Duffy prepares to undergo her voluntary assisted death (VAD) procedure on Friday, she reflects on the life she has led and the choices she has made.
"I am spiritual, and I do believe Marcus will be waiting for me, but even if he is not, even if there is nothing on the other side, it will be better than this," she said.
She has already informed her family of her plans and ensured that her affairs are in order. While they are heartbroken, they support her decision, even if they disagree with it.
"Her family knew this was coming at one point or another. She is happy that she has their blessing. She feels content now, like a weight has been lifted," Habegger revealed.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available via Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Published 11:59 07 Nov 2023 GMT
A girl whose mom died when she was eight years old opened up to her dad about their daughter-father relationship, and his reaction hasn't gone down well online.
Losing a parent is one of the toughest things that anyone will ever go through, and it also means that somebody has lost their soul mate.
In these times of hardship, the remaining parent and their child should come together and support each other - or so you'd hope.
One woman has taken to Reddit where she has opened up about losing her mother at eight years old, and the impact this had on her relationship with her dad.
Taking to the Am I The A**hole forum, she wrote: "I was 8 when I lost my mom and we were as close as ever but I needed him more. Then when I was 11 he remarried and he became a stepdad to a girl who was 10 at the time. Now, this is where full honesty comes in. I was jealous as hell that my dad was trying to bond with her and that he called her his daughter and us 'his girls' right away."
The Redditor was very candid about her jealousy, noting that she "felt sick" whenever her dad spent time with his stepdaughter, but she noticed that he would eventually start spending more time with his new family than with her.
She recounted an incident where she overheard him speaking: "I was 13 my dad said how much he preferred hanging out with her over me because they had similar interests. He said he couldn't spend enough time with his stepdaughter and he was hoping I would hit the teen phase of not wanting my parents around me that much."
She continued: "Then he admitted he also resented me for not wanting his wife the way her daughter wanted him. He wanted us to be the perfect little family and we looked like a stepfamily where the step is always used because I didn't really want his wife for stuff."
She gave her dad his space and he didn't seem to mind, but when his stepdaughter turned 16 and wanted her own space, he appeared to be crushed by it.
Years later her dad approached her about why she didn't call him to help her move into her new place, and she revealed everything from her jealousy to what he had overheard him saying.
She notes that he seemed "offended" by what she had said and that he said she was "disgusting" for wanting him to not spend time with his stepdaughter.
She concluded: "He also told me he should be allowed to have interests in common with someone other than me. I told him he was. But I was also a kid who lost my mom and clung to my sole living parent.
"He then accused me of manipulating him by saying all that and I told him that he shouldn't have asked a question if he wasn't prepared for an honest answer. He told me I could f*** right off with that attitude and told me to grow up."
People in the comments were not happy with the dad, as one person wrote: "Unfortunately your dad will never understand your side of things. It’s best to walk away to avoid your heart being broken over and over."
A second said: "He clearly didn’t provide you with enough love and reassurance and just expected you to accept them. I could see his position partially up until the point where you share your recent call with him and he just denied it and accuse you of manipulation. He clearly failed to provide enough stability, reassurance and emotional empathy to you."
A third concluded: "Now that you are no longer close, he wants to whine to you about how hurt his feelings are, but he still wants to take zero accountability for his failures as a father. He needs to grow up himself."
What are your thoughts?
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