Right-to-die advocate’s death not as she wanted it

Friday, Jan. 9, 1998 | 10:38 a.m.

Sarah's suffering ended Tuesday.

The 93-year-old Las Vegas transplant, who had terminal colon cancer and numerous other physical ailments, died at Valley Hospital Medical Center where she was taken Christmas Eve after her condition worsened.

The death was not as she once had envisioned it -- taking place when and where she chose.

Sarah's real name was Eve Herskowvtz. She was the subject of a story that appeared in the Dec. 22 issue of the Las Vegas SUN.

She described her suffering in painful detail and expressed the wish to die -- even if it meant taking her own life.

Mrs. Herskovitz, who had lived in Las Vegas about three years, believed if you are suffering from a terminal illness and are in great pain, you should have the right to relieve yourself of that suffering and that the law should be changed to allow doctors to assist you.

The elderly woman, whose mind held onto its vitality to the end, said she led a full and wonderful life, filled with love and excitement.

But she out-lived most of her friends, all of her closest relatives, and she rarely communicated with the few distant ones who live in Canada.

Now, she said over the course of several interviews, it was time to go.

There was nothing left for her.

She had lost her independence, her health, her will to continue.

Because of her physical illnesses she no longer could participate in the things that gave her life meaning, such as reading and traveling.

Mrs. Herskovitz made arrangements for disposal of her remains long before she died.

One of her few friends said there will be no ceremony, no final words of summation of her life and that her body will be cremated.