We Mourn the Death of Stephen Mendelsohn

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC).*

The amazing genius and focused disability activist, Stephen Mendelsohn, age 63 [pictured right], worked tirelessly to oppose assisted suicide as a member of Second Thoughts Connecticut and as a member of the EPC - USA board, has died.

According to a media report Stephen Mendelsohn died when he was hit by a car on Sunday evening (June 1).

Mendelsohn was an incredible researcher. He would read through legislative texts and uncover specific language variations that may not have been noticed immediately. Also, the interventions that he wrote opposing assisted suicide bills often used new talking points and ways to oppose killing by assisted suicide.

CT Legislature Won’t Consider Medical Aid in Dying Bill

[State Representative Josh] Elliott had introduced the bill this year alongside two colleagues, but it was not raised by the General Assembly’s Public Health Committee before a deadline to advance it further.* 

CT Insider reported in 2024 that Elliott and advocates planned to skip that year’s session in the hopes of taking it up again this year.

The legislation would have brought Connecticut in line with 10 states and the District of Columbia in allowing doctors to prescribe medication for patients to end their own lives. Those states and D.C. require patients to have been diagnosed as having a short time to live from a terminal illness. The laws also require patients to be determined to be of sound mind and capable of informed consent.

Advocates on both sides of the debate over the practice responded Thursday.

“Second Thoughts Connecticut was glad to hear that our state legislature continues to move cautiously when it comes to medical assisted suicide,” said Cathy Ludlum  [pictured above] of Second Thoughts Connecticut, a group of disability rights advocates opposed to the legalization of assisted suicide.  “Legislators have wisely stopped it from coming here this year, and we are thankful,” Ludlum said. “People in distress need support, not a fast-track to death.”