This archive report was first published on 23 October 2019.
Published on October 23, 2019, Marieke Vervoort, a Belgian Paralympian, died by euthanasia at the age of 40 after a long battle with a degenerative spinal condition.
Marieke Vervoort, a wheelchair athlete, had won Paralympic gold in the 200 meters wheelchair race in the London Games in 2012 and silver medals in London and at Rio in 2016.
Diagnosed with the painful condition as a teenager, Vervoort retired from competition after the Rio Games and advocated for dialogue on assisted dying in countries around the world.
The town of Diest in northern Belgium, where Vervoort was born, paid tribute to the athlete, calling her “our Wielemie”, a reference to the wheels of her wheelchair.
“Despite her physical limitations she had an impressive sporting career,” the town said. “Marieke chose euthanasia a few years ago and followed through on her choice on Tuesday evening.”
Local poet Kristien Nys penned a heartfelt tribute to Vervoort, describing her as “silver-plated, gold-plated” with an iron will and “angelic patience”. Vervoort’s smile would no longer be seen, but her pain was gone, and she had done her last lap.
