The sisters, identified as Dr. Lila Ammouri and Susan Frazier, flew from the U.S. to Zurich, Switzerland, on Feb. 5, Phoenix FOX affiliateKSAZreported.
Both Ammouri, a 54-year-old palliative medicine specialist, and Fraizer, a 49-year-old registered nurse, were scheduled to return from their trip about a week later but never arrived, according to the outlet.
Dr. David Biglari, a friend of the sisters, told the news station the pair were “in a very good position of their lives in terms of careers,” and he knew of no reason they wouldn’t return home on their own.
“I’m totally devastated and don’t have a clue why they did this,” Cal Ammouri, identified as the sisters' brother, told theNew York Post.
“We still need answers,” Biglari told the newspaper.
People who knew Ammouri and Frazier were concerned foul play was involved in their disappearance after they received a questionable message on Feb. 10, Biglari told KSAZ.
“Some of the text communications they had, we are certain they were not from them,” Biglari said. “They were most likely fabricated with someone else.”
“Although they had a number of health problems, they were not terminally ill,” Pegasos said in the statement, which was published jointly with Exit International, an organization that advocates for the legalization of voluntary euthanasia. “They expressed a strong wish to die together.”
“We can confirm the death of two U.S. citizens in Switzerland,” a State Department official says in a statement to PEOPLE. “Out of respect for the privacy of the family, we have no further comment at this time.”
Ten states in the U.S. — California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington — as well as the District of Columbia permitdoctor-assisted suicidefor mentally healthy patients who have no more than six months to live.
“He knew what he wanted. He wanted to control his death and he wanted my support,” Bloom said of their “excruciating” journey.
The topic came under national attention in 2014 when Oregon residentBrittany Maynardspent the final months of her life advocating for assisted suicide laws before ending her own life at age 29 during a battle with brain cancer.
Assisted suicide in Switzerland has been legal since 1942, according toDignity in Dying, a British organization.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go tosuicidepreventionlifeline.org.
source: people.com
