At 10 a.m., Wayne Hawkins sits in his San Diego home, aware that within two hours, he will be gone. The 80-year-old, terminally ill with multiple health conditions, has chosen to end his life under California’s assisted dying laws. His wife, Stella, and their two children, Emily and Ashley, remain by his side.
Wayne has invited BBC News to witness his death, hoping his story will influence lawmakers in the UK, where Parliament is debating the legalization of assisted dying. Under California law, he qualifies for the procedure, having been diagnosed with less than six months to live and obtaining approval from two doctors.
Half an hour after the BBC’s arrival, Wayne swallows anti-nausea pills to prevent vomiting when he takes the lethal medication. When asked if he is certain about his decision, he responds confidently, “I’m all in.”
Dr. Donnie Moore, a physician specializing in end-of-life care, arrives to oversee the process. Having assisted in 150 similar cases, he confirms Wayne’s eligibility and prepares the lethal dose—a combination of powerful sedatives and painkillers.
The medication, delivered the day before, is mixed with cherry and pineapple juice to mask the bitterness. Wayne drinks it without hesitation. No one knows exactly how long he will take to pass; similar cases have ranged from 30 minutes to 17 hours.
Wayne’s choice stems from his desire to avoid prolonged suffering. He has watched loved ones endure agonizing deaths and refuses the prospect of life dependent on machines. “Some days, the pain is unbearable,” he said. “I don’t want to die hooked up to tubes.”
He met Stella in 1969, married her four years later, and spent decades working as a landscape architect while she taught primary school. They built a life in Northern California, exploring nature with their children. Now, facing heart failure, liver disease, and sepsis, Wayne has chosen to take control of his fate.
Stella, 78, supports his decision. “He has always been independent. If this is what he wants, I agree. I’ve seen him suffer, and I don’t want that for him.”
Wayne’s circumstances align with the proposed assisted dying law in England and Wales, which Parliament will debate later this month. If passed, the law would allow mentally competent adults with a terminal diagnosis of six months or less to request assisted death after making two witnessed declarations.
The topic remains contentious. Supporters argue for personal choice and dignity, while opponents fear coercion and weakened safeguards. Palliative care specialist Dr. Vincent Nguyen warns that such laws could pressure vulnerable individuals into choosing death. “Instead of ending lives, we should improve care and let people know they are valued,” he said.
Critics also cite a “slippery slope,” noting that California recently shortened its waiting period for assisted dying from 15 days to 48 hours after patients died before completing the process. The UK’s proposed legislation would likely involve a month-long approval period.
On the morning of Wayne’s death, a mockingbird sings outside, a familiar presence that once kept him awake at night. With his family around him, he drinks the pink liquid. “Goodnight,” he says with a smile. Within minutes, he enters a deep sleep. Dr. Moore reassures the family that Wayne is in a peaceful, irreversible unconscious state.
By 11:47 a.m., Wayne Hawkins has passed away, fulfilling his wish to die on his own terms. His story fuels an ongoing debate over the future of assisted dying laws in the UK and beyond.
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