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Topics: Life, News, World War 2, Europe, Health
Callum Jones
A survivor of the Holocaust and her husband penned a heartbreaking message to their nearest and dearest before dying by assisted suicide.
Ruth Posner escaped a Nazi ghetto as a child before going on to achieve a successful career in both dance and drama.
The Polish-born actor and her 97-year-old husband Michael died last month in Switzerland via assisted suicide - which is legal in the country.
Ruth and Micheal let their family and friends know in an email, which was sent to them after they had died.
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The email, which was reviewed by The Times, read: "So sorry not to have mentioned it, but when you receive this email we will have shuffled off this mortal coil.
"The decision was mutual and without any outside pressure. We had lived a long life and together for almost 75 years. There came a point when failing senses, of sight and hearing and lack of energy was not living but existing that no care would improve."
The email continued: "We had an interesting and varied life and except for the sorrow of losing Jeremy, our son. We enjoyed our time together, we tried not to regret the past, live in the present and not to expect too much from the future," before concluding the heartbreaking message with: "Much love Ruth & Mike."
The married couple did not have any form of terminal health issues, and traveled from London to a clinic in Switzerland to die.
Sonja Linden, a friend of the couple, was one of those to receive the email and expressed her sadness that she wasn't able to say a proper goodbye.
Linden told The Times that Ruth was 'frail' and Michael had been experiencing vision loss and hearing problems in her final years.
"This was a decision they made together some time ago that they wanted to die together," Sonja said.
"They made an arrangement to go to Switzerland a year ago. We did not know they had actually gone until we received the email, which is sad as we wanted to say goodbye."
Sonja continued: "They had such a lovely flat packed with art and books and I can’t imagine them not being there. They thought this was a positive decision and it helped them in their later life. I did not try to stop them.
"I understood and supported their decision, but it was still a shock to receive the email."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.