Robert Munsch, the beloved author behind the classic children’s book Love You Forever, is opening up about the final chapter of his life.
The 80-year-old author, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and dementia in 2021, revealed in a new interview with The New York Times that he has made the difficult decision to have an assisted death.
While Munsch has not yet set a date, he shared the moment he’ll know it’s time. “When I start having real trouble talking and communicating,” he told The New York Times. “Then I’ll know.”
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Munsch shared that the diseases have already begun taking a toll on his daily life.
He now relies on a walker after struggling with balance and experiencing several falls at home. Reading has also become a challenge, as he can’t always recall what happened in the previous chapter. And he admitted that fatigue often keeps him from even going outside.
“My life is shrinking that way,” he told the publication.
Munsch further explained that his decision to go through with an assisted death was shaped by his brother’s devastating battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS).
“They kept him alive through all these interventions. I thought, let him die,” he said, noting that he wants a different path for himself.
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Under Canadian law, a person must be able to actively consent to an assisted death on the day it takes place. “I have to pick the moment when I can still ask for it,” Munsch said.
After sharing his decision publicly, his publisher, Scholastic, shared a heartwarming sentiment to the beloved author on Instagram.
