Terminally ill man chooses to end life by assisted dying and invites BBC to record his final moments

Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.

A terminally ill man who chose to end his life by assisted dying invited the BBC to witness his final day and explained why he was doing it.

The bill on assisted dying in the UK was passed by a vote in parliament last November, with MPs voting 330 for and 275 against, but there are still plenty of steps and further votes required before it becomes law.

It was only last month that terminally ill residents living in the Isle of Man were given the right to choose when they die but in California, the 'End of Life Option Act' was first brought in back in 2016.

The proposed bill was introduced by backbench Labour MP Kim Leadbeater and would allow mentally sound individuals over the age of the 18 in UK, who have less than six months to live, to choose how and when they will die.

As discussions into the bill continue in the UK, the BBC were invited to California to speak to an elderly American man who was going through with the procedure.

Health editor Fergus Walsh met with Wayne Hawkins, an 80-year-old man from San Diego who wanted the BBC to witness the moment he passed away alongside his two children and his wife of more than 50 years.

Wayne's final moments surrounded by his family (BBC)

The San Diego man was suffering from a concoction of illnesses including heart failure, sepsis, prostate cancer and liver failure, which have left him unable to leave the house.

He said: "Some days the pain is almost more than I can handle. I just don't see any merit to dying slow and painfully, hooked up with stuff - intubation, feeding tubes. I want none of it.

"I hate hospitals, they are miserable. I will die in the street first."

However, Wayne would die surrounded by his wife Stella, his son Ashley and his daughter Emily, after local physician Dr Donnie Moore helped to administer the method of euthanasia.

Wayne's wife Stella was fully supportive of his decision.

Assisted dying could soon become legal in the UK (Getty Stock Image)

She added: "I've known him for over 50 years. He's a very independent man. He's always known what he wants to do and he's always fixed things. That's how he's operating now. If this is his choice, I definitely agree, and I've seen him really suffer with the illness he's got. I don't want that for him."

There are many religious groups who are strongly against the idea of euthanasia due to the idea of life being a sacred gift from God.

It was suggested earlier this year that the assisted dying bill could take another four years until it is fully implemented.

Last year, LADbible investigated the topic in documentary The Island Choosing Death, which spoke to one Isle of Man campaigner in favour of the bill as well as one man's experience with completing an assisted death application in Switzerland.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.