Innovations in End-of-Life Care
an international journal of leaders in end-of-life care

Ms. Harlow has provided us with the following letter written to her by a family as part of this process. The letter has been edited to exclude identifying information and was translated from its original version in Spanish.

Dear Ms. Harlow:
............., a good husband, father of ten children, seventy three years old, has dedicated his entire life to his family and his work. An exemplary man to all who knew him.

All of his life he has been a solid and healthy person, free spirited and very active. His sole purpose was to ensure that his family have a healthy environment and a good education.

He arrived in New York in 1983, where he had an unforgettable experience: when he saw his grandchild dying while being maintained on a respirator, being kept alive by a machine. He said, "If someday this should ever happen to me, never put me on a life support machine because I believe it is unnecessary suffering to continue someone's life who will not have a complete recovery, who will not ever lead a normal life again."

His wife and all his children, knowing his thoughts about this subject, request that you please respect his wishes. Knowing what his current physical condition is. We believe it is inhumane to have us witness our father going through something we know he does not want. We attest to this request with the signatures of his wife and children below....

[Return to Featured Innovation]