“I made a mistake”, she reportedly repeated through tears just two days before her death.
Brigitte Stegemann was 83 years old, had advanced-stage stomach cancer, and lived in a care facility in Ontario, Canada. According to her family, months earlier she had rejected assisted dying because it clashed with her religious beliefs and said she preferred to die naturally.
The situation changed while her granddaughter and primary caregiver, Brigitte Kranendonk, was away for several days. Upon returning, she learned that the facility had begun an assessment for access to Canada’s medical assistance in dying program. The family maintains that the woman had significant cognitive decline and questions whether she fully understood what she was agreeing to.
Two days before the procedure, her granddaughter asked her directly whether she understood that she was going to die. According to her account, Brigitte burst into tears, said several times that she had made a mistake, and appeared confused. The family also claims that she did not give final verbal confirmation before receiving the medication.
Brigitte died on July 10. Her family is now demanding answers, and the case is being investigated by Belleville police, while questions remain about her capacity to consent and how the procedure was carried out.
Her family is questioning not only how she died, but whether she ever truly understood that she had agreed to die.