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Below is the coverage from the Washington Post on Dawson. As some one =
else said, I can't begin to judge his position or situation. From what =
I've read in the past, Kevorkian doesn't usually rush into assisting =
people, and evidently Dawson went to some lengths to get connected to =
Kevorkian, so he had some time to think it over. From what I've read, =
Kevorkian does help most of the people he assists find a better =
place--an escape from increasing debilitating pain and/or progressive =
mental and physical deterioration. Usually TM folks are either stable =
or improving.
When I was in the rehab hospital, there were some people, usually young =
men, who felt like their changed life circumstances, mostly from car =
wrecks or gunshot wounds, were the end of their lives. Sometimes they =
came around and started racing around the halls in their wheelchairs, =
and sometimes they didn't.
It's too bad the articles aren't specifically mentioning TM, if that was =
his diagnosis, because it would be a good opportunity to bring TM to =
public attention, including TMA and this group discussion list. With =
the Christopher Reeve thing last Sunday, it would be good to jump on the =
bandwagon and have some positive press work out there. Do we have any =
publicists or journalists in the group?
Aurore
aurore(AT)erols.com
______________________________
Kevorkian Aids Paralyzed Student in Suicide=20
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- A paralyzed university student who won the right to =
leave a hospital to consult with Jack Kevorkian committed suicide just =
hours later with Kevorkian's help, Kevorkian's lawyer said.=20
Roosevelt Dawson, 21, an Oakland University student from Southfield, had =
been unable to use his arms and legs and had depended on a ventilator to =
breathe since a viral infection attacked his spinal cord 13 months ago. =
He left a Grand Rapids hospital yesterday after being hospitalized there =
for five months.=20
Kevorkian attorney Geoffrey Fieger said Dawson, who is the youngest =
person known to have committed suicide with Kevorkian's help, died =
between 7:30 and 8 p.m. with his mother at his side.=20
"His last words to his mother were, 'I love you,' and he said it three =
times," Fieger said outside the apartment building where Dawson lived =
with his mother.=20
"I can tell you that Roosevelt Dawson is in a better place."=20
=A9 Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company 2/27/98
Critics See Widening of Kevorkian Clientele=20
DETROIT: Jack Kevorkian slowly has shifted his practice of assisted =
suicide from only the terminally ill to all comers, his critics contend, =
pointing to his role in last week's death of a paralyzed 21-year-old.=20
Roosevelt Dawson -- a Southfield college student paralyzed from the neck =
down who fought to be released from a hospital to meet with Kevorkian -- =
was completely incapacitated and could not have operated Kevorkian's =
suicide machine. He reportedly died of a lethal injection.=20
Kevorkian's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said the issue always has been =
quality of life, adding: "Ask Christopher Reeve if he'd approve of =
Roosevelt Dawson's quality of life."=20
Reeve was paralyzed when he broke his neck during a 1995 horse-riding =
accident. Like Dawson, paralyzed by a viral infection, he requires a =
ventilator to help him breathe.=20
The Oakland County medical examiner's office ruled Dawson's death a =
homicide, although no charges had been filed.=20
Not Dead Yet, a national disabled rights group fighting assisted =
suicide, said Kevorkian is conditioning people to view death as the =
logical alternative to living with a disability.=20
"People are so indoctrinated into considering a disability as a fate =
worse than death," said Marsha Katz, a Not Dead Yet member from =
Ypsilanti whose husband uses a wheelchair. "In the disability community, =
there are many people who consider Kevorkian a serial killer."=20
=A9 Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company=20
3/2/98
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Below is the coverage from the = Washington=20 Post on Dawson. As some one else said, I can't begin to judge his = position=20 or situation. From what I've read in the past, Kevorkian doesn't = usually=20 rush into assisting people, and evidently Dawson went to some lengths to = get=20 connected to Kevorkian, so he had some time to think it over. From = what=20 I've read, Kevorkian does help most of the people he assists find a = better=20 place--an escape from increasing debilitating pain and/or progressive = mental and=20 physical deterioration. Usually TM folks are either stable or=20 improving.
When I was in the rehab hospital, there were some people, usually = young men,=20 who felt like their changed life circumstances, mostly from car wrecks = or=20 gunshot wounds, were the end of their lives. Sometimes they came = around=20 and started racing around the halls in their wheelchairs, and sometimes = they=20 didn't.
It's too bad the articles aren't specifically = mentioning TM, if=20 that was his diagnosis, because it would be a good opportunity to bring = TM to=20 public attention, including TMA and this group discussion list. = With the=20 Christopher Reeve thing last Sunday, it would be good to jump on the = bandwagon=20 and have some positive press work out there. Do we have any = publicists or=20 journalists in the group?
Aurore
______________________________
Kevorkian Aids Paralyzed Student in Suicide =
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- A paralyzed university student who won the right = to=20 leave a hospital to consult with Jack Kevorkian committed suicide just = hours=20 later with Kevorkian's help, Kevorkian's lawyer said.=20
Roosevelt Dawson, 21, an Oakland University student from Southfield, = had been=20 unable to use his arms and legs and had depended on a ventilator to = breathe=20 since a viral infection attacked his spinal cord 13 months ago. He left = a Grand=20 Rapids hospital yesterday after being hospitalized there for five = months.=20
Kevorkian attorney Geoffrey Fieger said Dawson, who is the youngest = person=20 known to have committed suicide with Kevorkian's help, died between 7:30 = and 8=20 p.m. with his mother at his side.=20
"His last words to his mother were, 'I love you,' and he said it = three=20 times," Fieger said outside the apartment building where Dawson = lived with=20 his mother.=20
"I can tell you that Roosevelt Dawson is in a better =
place."
© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company 2/27/98
© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company=20