WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT. Perry Davenport, who was with Wendy Duffy when she died at the controversial Pegasos clinic, has spoken out about her controversial death
An assisted dying clinic spokesman who clutched Wendy Duffy’s hand in her final moments has described the final moments of her death.
Wendy, 56, ended her life at the controversial clinic Pegasos in Basel on April 24, while wearing a t-shirt belonging to her son, Marcus. While the former care worker from the West Midlands was physically healthy, she said she had spent four years in a permanent state of grief following Marcus’s freak death in 2020.
Marcus Dolman was just 23 years old when he choked to death on a cherry tomato, having fallen asleep while eating a sandwich, hungover, on the sofa.
Feeling unable to be “in this world” without her only child, the former care worker paid £10,000 to end her life at the Pegasos clinic, a facility in Basel, Switzerland, which, controversially, accepts psychiatric-only cases where there is no physical illness.
READ MORE: ‘My healthy sister took own life at Swiss suicide clinic after son’s death – we were told by email’
After undergoing a months-long assessment process, Wendy, from the West Midlands, died at Pegasos on April 24, wearing, as per her final wishes, a t-shirt that had belonged to her beloved son, which “still smells of him”.
According a guide to assisted dying in Switzerland by former MP John Watson, 18 percent of all Pegasos supporters are British and Pegasos handles around 65 cases per year from the UK
Perry Davenport, a Pegasos spokesperson, has now revealed that he was there with Wendy when she died, telling The Times: “I was with Wendy when she died, and she had a beautiful death. She was so happy to be joining her son on the other side. She had significant therapy and had all the obvious attempts to ease depression, and she made a rational decision that she was not going to get better, she was not going to get happy.”
He continued: “She missed her son terribly. They were very, very close. She wasn’t married. There were no other children. She won the hearts and minds of everyone around her in understanding how she felt.”
In a previous interview with the Mail Online, mere days before her death, Wendy acknowledged that her difficult decision would be tough on her surviving family members, including her six siblings, but insisted that she had no regrets.
Wendy, whose ashes will now be scattered alongside those of Marcus at “his” bench, told the publication: “I won’t change my mind. I know it’s hard for you, sweetheart. It will be hard for everyone. But I want to die, and that’s what I’m going to do. And I’ll have a smile on my face when I do, so please be happy for me. My life; my choice..”
This case has sparked conversation across the UK, with British mother Judith Hamilton, 84, speaking to the Mirror after her son died there without her knowledge.
Alastair Hamilton, 47, told his mum that he was visiting a friend in Paris visiting a friend, when all the while, he was preparing to die at the Swiss clinic.
Although Alistair, from Hampton, south-west London, had been struggling with physical health issues, he had no confirmed diagnosis before he died in 2023. The clinic did not inform relatives about his decision, and agonisingly, Judith spent a frantic week trying to find out where her son was after his calls and texts stopped. It was only after she reported him missing to the police that she learned what had happened.
Judith told us: “It’s just such a heartbreaking scenario for these the families left behind. I am nothing like the woman I was before he died. It’s just a permanent sadness in my heart, and although I’ve got other children and grandchildren, it doesn’t make up for the one that’s not here. You just feel as if you could grab hold of them, hold them tight for two or three years – maybe their outlook on life would have changed. We were robbed of that chance.”
Alastair had been suffering from abdominal pain and weight loss before his death, and while he met with multiple consultants, no cause was determined. This had a significant effect on health-conscious Alastair, who’d loved walking and going to the gym, with fitness being his “main joy”. He’d also had to cut down the number of days he worked. After his death, Alastair’s family were unable to get a post-mortem to find out what had been wrong.
Reflecting on Wendy’s decision, Judith continued, “It’s very sad. It was her only child. I mean, I have other children and grandchildren, which she didn’t have. She just had that one beloved son. It seems she had a large family who loved her and cared for her, but I can understand her sadness. It doesn’t get any easier. I can understand Wendy’s depth of loss and emptiness now he’s gone – I just wonder if more support could have been given to people like her and my son.”
Dignitas, the best-known Swiss clinic, would have rejected Wendy’s application. For her Pegasos application, Wendy had to obtain approval from an expert panel that included psychiatrists. A months-long assessment process then followed, during which experts would have had full access to her medical records. As per the Pegasos website: “While it is not necessary to be terminally ill to be accepted for a VAD at Pegasos, careful review is always required in order to accompany people on their last journey.”
In England and Wales, the assisted dying bill would not have permitted cases such as Wendy’s, as it was intended only to be used by those of sound mind who are terminally ill with six months to live. On April 24, the bill ran out of time in the House of Lords, meaning it will not become law.
For mental health support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
READ MORE: Wendy Duffy’s heartbreaking final requests before taking her own life at Swiss clinic
