Dr. Florian Willet, the founding president of an assisted dying organization, has died by suicide at the age of 47.
Dr. Willet established The Last Resort, an organization that played a pivotal role in the development of the Sarco ‘suicide pod,’ a device designed to assist individuals in ending their own lives.
Assisted dying remains a contentious issue worldwide, with legal acceptance in only a few countries, including Canada, certain regions of Australia, Spain, and Austria.
Switzerland has been a leader in the assisted dying movement, having legalized the practice since 1942.
While assisted suicide is permitted in Switzerland, euthanasia is not. The primary distinction is that a physician can legally provide the means for a person to end their life, but cannot perform the act themselves.
In September, a 64-year-old woman became the first individual to die by suicide using a Sarco pod following a diagnosis of a severely compromised immune system.
On the day she made this decision, Switzerland’s Interior Minister, Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, declared the device ‘not legal.’
This declaration led to the arrest of several individuals involved in her assisted suicide, including Dr. Willet, who were investigated for ‘inducement and aiding and abetting suicide.’
Chief prosecutor Peter Sticher later introduced the possibility of ‘intentional homicide’ after allegations surfaced that the woman had ‘strangulation marks.’ However, no autopsy report has been made public to support these claims, and Sticher never officially confirmed the presence of such marks.
Dr. Willet was detained for 70 days before being released in December 2024, following a change in the prosecutor’s stance regarding ‘strong suspicion’ of intentional homicide, according to The Last Resort website.
Nonetheless, there remained a ‘strong suspicion of the crime of inciting and abetting suicide.’
Although Dr. Willet was released, the allegations and his incarceration reportedly had a profound effect on his mental health.
Dr. Philip Nitschke, director of Exit International and creator of the Sarco pod, informed Dutch news outlet Volkskrant that Dr. Willet ended his life last month.
Dr. Nitschke observed that Dr. Willet was ‘a changed man’ after leaving prison.
He explained: “Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence. In its place was a man who seemed deeply traumatized by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation.”
A friend of Dr. Willet shared similar observations about his behavior with The Independent, stating: “This friendly, positive man had changed into an anxious, suspicious person who no longer trusted even his best friends.
“He lived in his own world. He became increasingly distant from his friends.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing a mental health crisis, support is available through Mental Health America. You can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. The Crisis Text Line can also be reached by texting MHA to 741741.