Staten Islander with ALS among those condemning N.Y. lawmakers for not passing Medical Aid in Dying Act: ‘I really needed it’

It’s been just over three weeks since the New York state Legislature again failed to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act, but the sting is still fresh for advocates of the proposed legislation. The act — which was first introduced in the state Senate in 2015 yet has failed to advance past the committee stage in each two-year-long legislative session since — would have allowed qualifying mentally competent, terminally ill patients over the age of 18 the choice of self-administering prescribed life-ending medication. “I’m hurt by it not passing. I really needed it to pass,” former longtime Staten Islander Brian Moffett told the Advance/SILive.com. Moffett, 66, was diagnosed with the incurable, hyper-progressive disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) almost three months ago. It has stolen a majority of his manual dexterity, arm function and mobility, and is quickly diminishing his ability to speak. His son, Jake, has since set up a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for his father’s extensive and necessary at-home care.

Read more of the story on silive.com.