A 44-year-old man died by medically assisted suicide in Italy on Thursday, in the first case of its kind in the country.
On Thursday, Federico Carboni decided to end his life at home via legally assisted suicide. Carboni’s case became Italy’s first legally medically assisted suicide. Carboni was with his relatives and friends, whoaided him in achieving his objective. An official from the Luca Coscioni Association, a right-to-die advocacy group that guided Mr. Carboni over the last 18 months, was also present and confirmed his death.
Federico Carboni was in a car accident 12 years ago, leaving him paralyzed. He was in need of 24-hour care owing to his disability to move from the neck down. Therefore being completely reliant on others and lacking independence. (https://woodlees.com/) He said it was making him feel like a “boat drifting on the ocean.”
Carboni received a go-ahead for legally assisted suicide in 2021
In Italy, the validity of assisted suicide continues extremely contentious topic; with the influential Roman Catholic Church and many politicians opposing it. The country’s Constitutional Court ruled in 2019 that assisted suicide is permitted when individuals can make judgments and are in excruciating pain. Thus, allowing it in practice. Carboni fought a long legal battle for euthanasia access until provincial health authorities gave him the go-ahead in November 2021.
“I did everything I could to be able to live as best as I could and try to recover as much as I could from my disability, but I am now at the end of my rope both mentally and physically,” were some of Carboni’s last words. “I am aware of my physical condition and future prospects so I am totally serene and calm about what I will do. Now I am finally free to fly wherever I want.”
The Italian Parliament approved a law in 2017 that gives adults the option to choose their end-of-life medical care. However, it includes conditions under which they may decline life-saving and life-sustaining procedures such as artificial feeding, hydration, and ventilation.
