An 83-year-old Christian grandmother’s death under Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) program is drawing outrage after her family alleged she was euthanized despite repeatedly opposing assisted death and expressing regret before the procedure.
Brigitte Stegemann died July 10 after receiving MAID following a battle with stage 4 stomach cancer, according to a Daily Mail report.
According to a public statement released by her granddaughter, Brigitte Kranendonk, Stegemann had previously made her position unmistakably clear.
“At that time, GG clearly stated that she did not wish to pursue it,” the family wrote. “As a devout Christian, she explicitly expressed that MAID conflicted with her personal beliefs and faith.”
Kranendonk, who held power of attorney for her grandmother, said the family repeatedly warned medical staff they believed Stegemann lacked the mental capacity to consent to assisted death. During one assessment, they said Stegemann incorrectly answered basic questions about her own family, yet the physician ultimately concluded she was capable of making her own medical decisions.
The family says Stegemann’s response afterward was heartbreaking.
“She responded with words to the effect of, ‘I’m going to die Friday? They’re going to kill me Friday?'” the statement said. “She wept for an extended period, repeatedly stating that she had made a mistake.”
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Despite the family’s objections, the procedure went forward as scheduled. Relatives said they witnessed a disturbing scene in her final moments before Stegemann died with her hands “tightly clasped together in a fixed prayer position.”
The allegations have intensified criticism of assisted suicide and euthanasia, practices many Christians and pro-life advocates argue violate the sanctity of human life. They also raise serious questions about informed consent, patient advocacy, and whether vulnerable elderly patients are receiving adequate protection.
If the family’s account is accurate, Stegemann’s death represents far more than a medical controversy. It is a chilling warning of how quickly a culture can move from caring for its weakest members to viewing death as a solution. Every human life bears the image of God and deserves protection, compassion and dignity.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
