We mourn the death of the great John Kelly

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

I am shocked and saddened by the loss of John Kelly, the leader of the disability rights group, Second Thoughts an activist with Not Dead Yet and a leader of Progressives Against Medical Assisted Suicide.

John was an amazing disability rights activist leader and tireless in his opposition to medical assisted suicide. John was an amazing leader, advocate, speaker, a warrior for truth.

John was a gifted orator and incredibly funny and witty.

He was a great collaborator, life few others. He worked with everyone.

I remember John coming to Toronto to speak at our Euthanasia Prevention Coalition conference. He was profound, excellent and funny. 

But life with a disability was always present. The next morning he thanked one of the doctors who was attending the conference for saving his life. I can't remember exactly what happened, but in the night he had a medical emergency.

Similar to Diane Coleman, the founder of Not Dead Yet, who died last November, John's deaths is an incredible loss.

Here are some articles by or about John Kelly.

• Disabilities group has Second Thoughts on assisted suicide (Link). 
• Disability leader speaks out against assisted suicide in Massachusetts (Link).
• Assisted Suicide goes to a vote in Massachusetts (Link).
• John Kelly speaks out on disability and assisted suicide (Link). 
• Disability opposition to assisted suicide helped secure third defeat in New England states this session (Link). 
• Assisted Suicide. Just Too Dangerous (Link). 
• Disability rights organizations oppose assisted suicide (Link).  
• Assisted suicide laws are more dangerous than people acknowledge (Link). 
• John Kelly: Say No to assisted suicide expansion in Oregon (Link). 
• Alex Schadenberg and John Kelly on Radio Sputnik (Link). 
• John Kelly: Testimony opposing Washington DC assisted suicide bill (Link). 
• John Kelly: Second Thoughts testimony against California assisted suicide bill (Link). 
• John Kelly: Assisted suicide laws and bills are "Riddled with Falsehoods" (Link). 
• People with disabilities comment on Me Before You (Link). 
• John Kelly: Testimony opposing New Jersey assisted suicide bill (Link).
• Assisted suicide. Vulnerable to abuse (Link). 
• John Kelly: New Mexico assisted suicide bill deserved to die (Link). 
• Assisted suicide would put pressure on disabled to die (Link). 
• John Kelly's incredible presentation on why the disability community opposes assisted suicide (Link). 
• John Kelly: The case for death with dignity collapses under scrutiny (Link).
• John Kelly: People lose their lives to misdiagnosis, coercion, abuse and depression (Link).
• Assisted suicide: What seems like dignity can turn out to be anything but (Link).
• Disability rights leaders praise Massachusetts court decision (Link).
• John Kelly: Push for assisted suicide raises questions over disability rights (Link).
• Oppose the Massachusetts assisted suicide bills (Link). 
• John Kelly: The answer is not medically assisted suicide (Link).