Kevorkian’s release stirs up grief and gratitude

Since his brother’s death, Youk, a filmmaker in Montpelier, Vt., has trained to be a hospice volunteer and made several films about end-of-life care, including one used to train hospice workers.

By the time Thomas Youk met with Kevorkian, he was nearly immobilized by Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS. He could move only the thumb and forefinger on his right hand and often choked on his own saliva.

“He was kind of in the midst of a lot of fear, and feeling like he had lost a lot of meaning and dignity in his life,” Youk said of his 52-year-old brother, who lived in Oakland County near Detroit. “He was difficult to understand, but ALS doesn’t affect your cognitive abilities. He was very clear about what he wanted to do.”

Kevorkian met with Terry and Thomas Youk and with Thomas’ wife. He looked over Youk’s medical records and tried to talk Youk out of going ahead. Everyone agreed to put off any decision for a couple more weeks.

But within days, Thomas Youk again awakened in the middle of the night choking on his own saliva and unable to breathe.

“He very clearly said he wanted to move the process along,” said Terry Youk, who again contacted Kevorkian.

Infamous "60 Minutes" tape
Thomas Youk could not administer the shots he needed to die, so Kevorkian gave him the injections and videotaped the entire process.

Kevorkian then gave the tape to CBS’ “60 Minutes” and challenged authorities to prosecute him. Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca had declined to go after Kevorkian for a series of earlier assisted suicides, but he could not let this one pass.

“He got out on national spotlight and videotaped for the world to see an act that didn’t involve assisted suicide but euthanasia,” Gorcyca said. “He didn’t think any jury would convict him of any crime.”

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