NEED TO KNOW
Rusty Martin, 66, plans to travel to Switzerland for medical aid in dying after an early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis
He said he doesn’t want to die, but refuses to “lose his mind” to the disease
Martin’s wife and children support his decision but wish Iowa allowed medical aid in dying in the state to avoid the trip
An Iowa father is choosing to travel overseas to end his life with medical aid in dying after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Rusty Martin — a 66-year-old from Des Moines, Iowa — spent 24 years working as a communications director for Iowa Senate Democrats until difficulty managing tasks led him to retire in 2022.
The following year, he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and realized that his problems, like forgetting meetings and making uncharacteristic mistakes, were actually the first signs of the disease.
“I felt terrible for several years. Being undiagnosed and struggling to fix this, which I could not do, was terrible,” he told the Des Moines Register. “Finally I had an answer to all the stress and struggle. It was not my fault. That just really was a huge relief to me.”
“And then the question was, what was going to happen? How was this going to end?”
Martin admitted that navigating the disease has already presented a lot of difficulties, and knowing that his mental state will deteriorate is daunting.
“Alzheimer’s is a long goodbye,” he said. “I mean, here I am walking around, driving a car, doing this, doing that but oh yeah, I am definitely gonna die and this is gonna kill me and I’m going to lose my mind in the process.”
That’s why Martin has decided to end his life with medical aid in dying (MAID). However, it’s not available in his home state.
Rusty Martin and his wife Kay Meyer
Credit: Scott Meyer
MAID allows patients with terminal illnesses to end their lives with lethal medication. It’s different from euthanasia because the patients themselves administer prescribed drugs to end their lives, rather than a doctor. Euthanasia is illegal in the United States.
MAID laws have been authorized in California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New Mexico, Vermont, Colorado, Illinois, Washington, Delaware, New York, Maine, Montana, Oregon and Washington, D.C.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Because of the restrictions, Martin plans to travel to Switzerland to end his life. Medical aid in dying has been legal in Switzerland since 1942, according to Dignity in Dying, a British organization.
“When it comes to choosing when I die, that is something I care about and that’s something I’ve spent a lot of time working on,” he said. “I could easily live a long time after I’ve lost my mind and that’s what led me to decide that I would end this on my own terms.”
Martin said he’s had conversations with his siblings and his children and they’re all “shocked” by his decision but understanding and supportive of it. But he said they didn’t get a “solid sense of what was happening” until he told them that a date was set.
Rusty Martin
Credit: Scott Meyer
Additionally, Kay Meyer — Martin’s wife of 28 years — supports his decision despite not wanting to lose him. She said that knowing how smart and intellectual her husband is, it would “just be miserable” for him to one day not know who he is or the people he loves. She also shared her frustrations with Iowa not legalizing MAID, and said they would easily have another six months together if Martin didn’t have to travel for it.
“I would have him longer,” she told the outlet. “It’s ridiculous. I mean, it makes me sad.”
“His sense of love and awe of nature are something that I will miss,” she continued. “No matter where I go, on a trail, in the woods, next to the lake, Rusty will be there. I’ll just be like, ‘Yeah, Rusty would love this.’ And it will keep him with me. He’ll be with me.”
On August 13, Martin, Meyer and their two sons will travel to Zurich, Switzerland. Through Dignitas — a non-profit that provides physician-assisted suicide — Martin will end his own life on August 18.
Martin shared more about his decision to die in a personal essay for Iowa City Press-Citizen.
“I decided I would not let the disease slowly kill me,” he wrote. “I will not let Alzheimer’s completely take my mind. Or warehouse me in a nursing home. Or set me in conflict with my wife or other loved ones. Dying is not something I ‘want’ to do. I wish I could die at home at the time of my choosing. My state will not let me.”
Martin said there’s “great comfort” in knowing how his life will end, but wishes he didn’t have to go through the “hassle.” Prior to his scheduled death, he posted a heartfelt video on Facebook sharing his “last thoughts.” He encouraged others to advocate for the advancement of Iowa’s death with dignity legislation.
“Tomorrow morning, I’m leaving Iowa for the last time,” he said in the clip. “Alzheimer’s is a fatal, incurable disease that gets worse as you go along… Unfortunately, to end my life in a legal, dignified manner, I’m forced to travel halfway around the world to Switzerland. Why? What is the point of keeping my body alive years after I’ve lost my mind?”
“I believe each of us has the right to a dignified death,” he continued. “Many Iowans have told me they agree. They want the option to die peacefully, at home, while they are still able to make this decision. There are too many painful stories of loved ones who needlessly suffered, sometimes while begging for a more dignified death.”
“Iowans, we can and should do better,” Martin ended. “There’s an election this November. Please ask the candidates for governor and the state legislature if they support the right to die with dignity. It’s up to you to change our state’s laws.”
Read the original article on People