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The two 45-year-olds from Antwerp province were both born deaf and were afraid that they would also soon go blind. They were unable to bear the thought of not being able to see each other again.
The twin brothers have spent their entire lives together. They shared a room at their family home and both qualified as cobblers. When they left home they moved into to a flat together.
The fact that they were born deaf never formed an obstacle to them enjoying a fulfilling life. However, when a few years ago their sight also started to deteriorate they faced losing any way of communicating with each other. The idea that they wouldn’t be able to see each other was unbearable for the two brothers.
Under Belgian law euthanasia is allowed if the person wishing to end his/her life has made their wishes clear and a doctor has ruled that his/her patient is suffering unbearable pain.
However, in the case of the two brothers neither was terminally ill, nor suffering any physical pain. Despite this, doctors at Brussels University Hospital in Jette (photo) agreed to their request to be euthanised.
The double euthanasia on the two brothers was carried out almost a month ago on 14 December.
[Flandersnews.be / Expatica]