Terry Pratchett - Dead at 66

Terry Pratchett

Author Terry Pratchett first announced in December 2007 that he had early onset Alzheimer's disease.  As I noted in this December 12, 2007 posting, Mr. Pratchett was only 59 years old when he made the announcement on his illustrator's website.  

Then in June, 2011, the author announced that he was "considering his options" to letting Alzheimer's kill him.  According to Pratchett, he was preparing to sign the forms that would lead to his assisted suicide at a Geneva clinic.

Today comes word from the BBC that Terry Pratchett, aged 66, is dead and that he died at home, surrounded by his family...with his cat asleep on the bed beside him.  

From the BBC:

The announcement of his death was made on Sir Terry's Twitter account on Thursday afternoon, with Rhianna (his daughter) later writing: "Many thanks for all the kind words about my dad. Those last few tweets were sent with shaking hands and tear-filled eyes." 

Despite campaigning for assisted suicide after his diagnosis, Sir Terry's publishers said he did not take his own life.

BBC News correspondent Nick Higham said: "I was told by the publishers his death was entirely natural and unassisted, even though he had said in the past he wanted to go at a time of his own choosing."

Without a doubt, the fantasy writer will be greatly missed by his fans, and they will remember him forever.  He was special.

The following is a 2010 documentary that Mr. Pratchett participated in on behalf of the legalization of "assisted dying" in his home country.  It is a beautiful piece of work, but do be warned that it is graphic and one man does die in front of the cameras:

Terry Pratchett - Choosing to Die by ghostsea