A model granddaughter has gone public in support of her terminally ill grandmother’s decision to end life on her own terms: “It’s the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Victoria’s Secret catwalker Ali Tate Cutler filmed an emotional conversation with her “Bubbie,” who who will soon be euthanized in Canada. She uploaded the footage Saturday to TikTok, where it quickly clocked more than 3 million views and divided opinion.
While Cutler, 32, is based in Austin, Texas, Bubbie resides in Canada, where euthanasia has been legal for adults since 2016. The practice — known as Medical Assistance in Dying [MAID] — has been mired in controversy in the past two years, however, with Canadian lawmakers loosening the criteria for those who can qualify.
The elderly grandmother has been battling cancer, but she did not disclose her name, exact age or the date she has chosen to end her life for privacy reasons.
Cutler explained in the caption of her viral video that she was initially opposed to the practice of euthanasia until seeing how much pain her grandmother was suffering.
“I was very resistant to euthanasia before she told me her decision. It felt unethical to me,” she declared. “But I have had my mind changed after hearing her reasons and I’m so happy that she has the option available in Canada.”
“How to live well and die well are codes, and she has given me knowledge on both,” she wrote. “I will treasure this conversation forever.”
Cutler — who made headlines back in 2019 for being the first plus-sized Victoria’s Secret model — added that the talk with her grandmother was “the hardest and most beautiful” conversation she had ever had.
While speaking with Bubbie, the model asked how she came across euthanasia as an option.
Bubbie explained that she sought it out, with doctors making sure her cancer diagnosis was terminal before they continued any further discussion. The medics also gave her “time” to consider whether it was something she actually wanted to pursue and insisted that she could change her mind up until the date of her death.
When discussing how the process will take place, Bubbie told Cutler that she has an “appointment” whereby medics will administer three different injections.
“The initial injection is putting you to sleep,” the grandmother explained. “Once you’re in a deep sleep there’s two other injections. Once you get to that point, you don’t know, so it’s painless.”
Bubbie is having the procedure done at a hospital, saying: “I came in quietly, I’d like to go out quietly.”
“I’ve always made decisions for myself,” she defiantly declared. “I do believe my husband is there [in the afterlife] saying, ‘It’s about time.’ And I’ll say, ‘Hi Aaron, I’m here.’ That’s it.”
Many viewers were moved by the conversation between Cutler and Bubbie, saying they supported the grandmother’s decision to end life on her terms.
“This is so bittersweet. It’s heartbreaking but comforting to know how sure she is. I’m happy her pain will be over but I’m sorry for your pending loss,” one wrote.
“Hospice aide here. This needs to be legal in every state. I’ve believed this for so many years,” a second supporter of euthanasia chimed in.
“I love that Canada truly has freedoms like this,” another concurred.
However, some viewers said the grandmother should choose to let things play out naturally, given that she seemed both comfortable and lucid.
“She seems so mentally present. Why would she want to do this ? Let God decide when,” one stated.
Another agreed, writing: “What’s the difference between euthanasia and suicide? In both cases is avoiding suffering. Why do you encourage this?”
!["I've always made decisions for myself," Bubbie defiantly declared. "I do believe my husband is there [in the afterlife] saying, 'It's about time.' And I'll say, 'Hi Aaron, I'm here.' That's it."](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011606094-edited.jpg)
Cutler shared several other TikTok videos alongside her grandmother, including one that showed them dolled up before they headed out for their final dinner at a restaurant together.
In Canada, euthanasia — also known as Medical Assistance in Death [MAID] — was legalized in 2016 for people aged 18 and over provided they met certain conditions: They had to have a serious condition, disease or disability that was in an advanced, irreversible state of decline and enduring “unbearable physical or mental suffering that cannot be relieved under conditions that patients consider acceptable.”
Their death also had to be “reasonably foreseeable,” and the request for euthanasia had to be approved by at least two physicians.”
The law was later amended to allow people who are not terminally ill to choose death, significantly broadening the number of eligible people and leading to criticism that there are not enough safeguards in place.
Today, any adult with a serious illness, disease or disability can seek help in dying.
Earlier this year, there were reports that Canada could soon allow mentally-ill minors to also end their own lives.
A 138-page report from the Canadian Parliament’s Special Committee on Medical Assistance in Death [MAID] listed a number of recommendations, including offering euthanasia to those under the age of 18.
“For MAID and mature minors, the committee heard a mix of views about whether MAID should be available to those under the age of 18,” the report said. “Many witnesses believed that age alone does not determine whether someone is capable of consenting to MAID. At the same time, a cautious approach was recommended, especially since there is little evidence from youth themselves on this topic.”
Euthanasia is currently legal for adults in seven countries — Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain — plus several states in Australia.
In the Netherlands, MAID is available to minors 12 and over, while in Belgium there is no minimum age.
Back in January, a doctor from Belgium was forced to furiously deny claims that the country acted as a “euthanasia dispenser” for the rest of Europe after a French YouTube star said she was heading there for assisted suicide.
The YouTube star — a 23-year-old woman known as “Olympe” to her 256,000 subscribers — recently raised eyebrows when she claimed Belgian medics will be assisting with her suicide later this year.
As of this month, Olympe is still alive and posting videos on her popular social media pages.