Another case of double euthanasia recently occurred in the Netherlands, when a devoted couple who had been together since childhood decided to die side by side.
At the beginning of June, Jan Faber (70) and Els van Leeningen (71), who had been married for almost 50 years, died by lethal injection.
Jan and Els spent their last moments together, surrounded by family and friends, including their son, who tried to accept their choice. “You don’t want to let your parents die,” Jan responded to their decision. “
Better times will come, better weather” – but not for me, answered our son despite this. Els continued, “There is no other solution.”
For more than 20 years, Jan, a former cargo barge operator, had suffered from excruciating back pain. In 2022, Els was diagnosed with dementia, which progressed over time until she had trouble forming phrases.
Kindergarten marked the beginning of their life’s adventure. Els was a primary school teacher and Jan eventually became a sports coach and played hockey for the Dutch youth national team.
Living on boats and running a cargo shipping company was the result of their mutual love of the water. Their son joined them on a sailing holiday and attended boarding school during the week.
The couple switched from a yacht to a motorhome because of Jan’s excruciating back problems. He underwent surgery in 2003, but his suffering continued and he had to leave work. They considered assisted dying for Jan’s health, but Els continued teaching. They became members of the Dutch “right to die” group NVVE.
Els, whose father also has dementia, retired in 2018 after showing the first signs of the disease. After receiving a formal diagnosis in November 2022, her condition rapidly deteriorated.
As Elsa’s dementia may make it difficult to determine a patient’s capacity to give consent, their GP, like many other medical professionals in the Netherlands, was reluctant to grant their request for euthanasia.
The couple turned to the Center of Expertise for Euthanasia, which offers advice on assisted dying and performs procedures in patients’ homes, for help.
About a third of the petitions submitted to the center are approved. Jan and Els played games, talked, and walked with their son and grandchildren on the beach before the meeting.
In the last hours before death, Jan and Els shared memories and listened to their favorite music with their loved ones. Their child said, “I remember we had dinner that night and I had tears in my eyes watching us all have that last dinner together.”
Jan and Els died together on June 3 after receiving fatal shots from doctors at the same time. Their departure fits into a larger pattern in the Netherlands, where euthanasia claimed the lives of 9,068 people in 2023 – up from 8,720 in 2022, including 29 couples.
In the Netherlands, despite strict laws, euthanasia is still a controversial and closely watched practice.
In order to guarantee free choice and there are no other practical options, each case is assessed individually.
Jan Faber and Els van Leeningen’s story highlights the deeply emotional and complex nature of euthanasia, especially in the context of double euthanasia. Their decision to end their life together after decades of shared love and hardship illustrates the personal challenges many face when living with chronic pain and declining health. While it was difficult for their family to accept their choice, Jan and Els believed it was the only solution to their suffering.Â
Their departure also sheds light on the wider issue of euthanasia in the Netherlands, a practice that remains both legally permitted and socially debated. The increase in euthanasia cases, including those involving couples, reflects a growing acceptance of the right to die with dignity in certain circumstances. However, it also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that these decisions are made with careful consideration, respect for consent, and strict legal oversight. The story of Jan and Els is a touching reminder of the human side of euthanasia, where love, pain, and personal autonomy come together in the most difficult moments of life.