Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying which some readers may find distressing.
A mum who decided to take her own life after the tragic death of her only son has fulfilled her wish at a Swiss euthanasia clinic.
Wendy Duffy previously told how she no longer 'wanted to be in this world without' her beloved son Marcus, who passed away four years ago.
The 56-year-old heartbreakingly said that each day on this Earth was 'agony' for her since the death of her only child.
Despite being sound of mind and physically healthy, Wendy wished to take her own life at Pegasos, a euthanasia clinic based in Basel, Switzerland.
The former care worker handed over £10,000 and got a one-way flight to the nation. On Friday (24 April), Pegasos confirmed that Wendy had passed away 'without incident and in full compliance with her wishes'.
Wendy previously revealed that she intended to take her last breaths in one of Marcus' t-shirts, as the devastated parent said that it 'still smelt of him'.
She was granted permission to end her life at Pegasos after her suffering was deemed severe enough to meet the clinic's requirements.
Wendy explained that despite undergoing years of therapy and also taking antidepressant medication, she was unable to come to terms with the loss of her son.
Marcus, an aspiring musician, tragically choked to death four years ago. Wendy desperately attempted to save the 23-year-old's life and performed CPR on her boy.
He sadly passed away after his brain was starved of oxygen due to a tomato becoming trapped in his windpipe.
'Please be happy for me'
The former care worker acknowledged that her decision to take her own life would be 'hard for everyone', but said it is what she wanted.
"I'll have a smile on my face when I do, so please be happy for me," she said. "My life; my choice."
Wendy also explained that she intended to 'go out to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars singing Die With A Smile'.
The euthanasia clinic in Switzerland where the process was carried out confirmed the news of her death in a statement on Friday.
Ruedi Habegger, Pegasos founder, said: "I can confirm that Wendy Duffy, at her own request, was assisted to die on April 24 and that the procedure was completed without incident and in full compliance with her wishes.
"I can also confirm that neither we nor any of the professional staff assessing her mental capacity had any doubt as to her intention, understanding and independence of both thought and action.
"In historical terms at English law, hers was a case of 'sane suicide'."
Opening up about her decision in a recent interview with MailOnline, Wendy explained that she'd tried to 'get better' before opting to go through with assisted dying.
"You can take all the pills, you can go to all the counselling in the world – and I did," she explained. "Ultimately, they can’t help you. They don’t have to live your life, and my life is agony."
Wendy explained that even though she wasn't 'lonely', she found it impossible to exist without Marcus.
"I still sit at night, and I talk to Marcus, and I kiss the box I had made for his ashes, and I say 'goodnight, sunshine', and I think 'I don’t want to be in this world without you, Markie'. And I don’t. It’s as simple as that."
Wendy said she 'died inside' after seeing her son's lifeless body and subsequently gave up her job as she 'felt nothing'.
"You can’t be a carer if you don’t care, and I’m sorry, but I don’t," she said prior to travelling to Switzerland. "I don’t care about anything any more. I exist. I don’t live."
The mum explained that her ashes would be sent back to her surviving family members and that she wanted them to be scattered at a bench dedicated to Marcus, which is where his were also placed.
After arriving at Pegasos, the firm's founder told the Mail that Wendy's four sisters and two brothers had 'been informed' and had 'given their blessings'.
"Wendy is very decided," Habegger said earlier this week. "I saw her at her hotel today, I had a long talk with her and with the psychiatrist that is going to see her a second time before the VAD [voluntary assisted death].
"He is very confident that we are doing the right thing letting her go, that we should not stand in her way. She is absolutely not in a depressive state. I’m very experienced in this field.
"There are no worries with Wendy, none at all. Her family knew this was coming at one point or another. She is happy that she has their blessing. She feels content now, like a weight has been lifted."
For advice, support, and more information, you can contact the nurse-led specialist team at Compassion in Dying via their helpline 0800 999 2434. You can also email them at [email protected].
Additionally, if you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.
Topics: World News, Mental Health, UK News
Olivia Burke