I Would Rather Be Dead

A survey asked: 'Which would you choose: Living with a severe disability that forever alters your ability to live an independent life, or death?'

Middle-aged people chose death.
Higher income people chose death.
People living in the West chose death.
People with higher education chose death.

Even Superman chose death initially. When Christopher Reeve awoke after the accident that left him severely disabled, he said he wanted to die. It wasn't until his wife Dana expressed her love and support that he returned to living, advocating stem cell research, starring in films like Rear Window, writing a book Still Me , establishing a foundation, loving and being loved.

I have read many stories by people who respond to their disability by embracing life with a new attitude, appreciating new priorities, and a new understanding of what really is important.

I wonder about those middle-aged, educated, rich Westerners who opt for their own death rather than living with a disability. What is their attitude toward the more than 54 million American adults whose daily lives include a disability?

The survey was commissioned by Disaboom, the premiere online community for people touched by disability.

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