Renowned Australian ecologist David Goodall died on Thursday in Switzerland at the age of 104, after travelling to the country to voluntarily end his life with medical assistance.
Goodall received a lethal intravenous drug cocktail while in the presence of several of his grandchildren and died shortly afterwards, said a spokesman for the Swiss euthanasia organization Exit International.
"He was calm and relaxed. He wanted everything to go as quickly as possible," the spokesman said. At Goodall's request, Beethoven's 9th Symphony played as the lethal injection was administered.
Goodall had tried unsuccessfully to end his life in Australia after suffering a fall two months ago.
He had travelled to Switzerland, where euthanasia is allowed, to commit assisted suicide, while also hoping to initiate a discussion in other countries about enabling a dignified farewell.
On Wednesday, Goodall told a press conference in Basel that he hoped his story would lead to more liberal laws in Australia, where assisted suicide is not legal.
"I think there probably will be a step in the right direction," he said. "Everyone over the middle age, unquestioned, should have the right to end their life as and when they chose," he added.
Exit International, a euthanasia advocacy group of which Goodall has been a member for 20 years, raised almost 20,000 US dollars to cover the professor's travel costs to Switzerland.
According to Exit International, Goodall wished for his ashes to be scattered, and did not want a funeral or any similar ceremony.
