She lived her life shaping wood into art — and, at 95, Jackie Ferrara shaped her ending too.
The acclaimed sculptor, known for her bold geometric creations, passed away peacefully in Switzerland after choosing medical aid in dying. What makes her story haunting isn’t illness — but intention. “I’m in good health,” she told The New York Times. “But I’m ready to go.”
Ferrara didn’t want to fade slowly or depend on others. “I don’t want a housekeeper,” she said simply. “I never wanted anybody. I was married three times. That’s enough.” Her words weren’t bitter — just clear, almost serene.
Because U.S. laws only allow assisted death for those with terminal illness, she traveled to Basel, where such choices have been legal since 1942. It’s the same city where Holocaust survivor Ruth Posner, 97, and her husband Michael chose to say goodbye earlier this year — hand in hand after 75 years together.
Jackie Ferrara left the world like she lived — on her own terms, with quiet strength and no apology.
Her final act wasn’t about dying. It was about deciding.
Would you ever want to choose your own ending if the time came — or let life decide for you?
