Wife of Quebec man who chose assisted death describes ER stay as coroner’s inquest opens
Warning: This story contains sensitive subject matter. Discretion is advised.
The wife of a man who sought assisted death following a disastrous emergency room stay in Quebec is accusing the healthcare system of negligence.
On Monday, Sylvie Brosseau spoke publicly as a coroner’s inquiry began into the death of her longtime partner, Normand Meunier, who died last year.
Normand Meunier is pictured with his partner of 25 years, Sylvie Brosseau. A public inquiry is now examining the circumstances surrounding his death.
Courtesy Sylvie Brosseau
Meunier, a 66-year-old quadriplegic, spent four days on a stretcher in the emergency room at Saint-Jérôme Hospital, northwest of Montreal, in January 2024.
He developed severe pressure sores during that stay — a complication that ultimately led him to choose medically-assisted death.
“It was horror,” Brosseau said through tears during the hearing. “The last two weeks of his life were unbearable.”
In his opening statement, coroner Dave Kimpton extended his condolences to Meunier’s family. He will hear from more than 30 witnesses in an effort to understand how Meunier’s condition deteriorated so drastically under hospital care.
Meunier had been paralyzed in 2022 after collapsing at home and undergoing surgery. A former truck driver, he was described by Brosseau as energetic and full of life before his injury.
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Following his paralysis, he suffered recurring complications which led to repeated hospitalizations. “Each time, we had to ask for the special mattress which never arrived,” she alleges.
During his final ER visit, Brosseau said she repeatedly asked hospital staff to provide the adapted mattress. Despite her pleas, she said it never came. The sores on his buttocks became so severe that the bone and muscle tissue were exposed.
“It was horrible. He had no buttocks. There was nothing left,” Brosseau told reporters outside the courtroom.
She said with months of extremely painful recovery ahead, Meunier decided to proceed with medically-assisted death. He died on March 29, 2024.
“Failure to follow proper medical protocols can be the difference between life and death,” said Brosseau’s lawyer, Patrick Martin-Menard.
The first to testify included a Sûreté du Québec investigator, a nurse, and a physiotherapist who had cared for Meunier in his final days. Several disability rights advocates also attended the hearing.
Government health officials have lawyers present questioning the witnesses as well.
In a statement sent to Global News, the CISSS des Laurentides health authority that represents the hospital wrote, “We were deeply saddened to learn of Mr. Meunier’s death in 2024.”
“The prevention and treatment of injuries to people with reduced mobility presents many challenges, and we must constantly adapt our approaches to ensure better prevention and treatment,” the statement continued.
“We are committed to continuous improvement to better meet the needs of people with reduced mobility, who are more likely to develop pressure injuries. It is in this spirit that we are present at the coroner’s inquest.”
Meunier during a camping trip. The couple had planned to travel and marry before his health took a turn.
Courtesy Sylvie Brosseau
Mark Beggs of MÉMO-Québec, an advocacy group for people with spinal cord injuries, told reporters outside the courtroom that a person “isn’t supposed to die from a pressure sore. It should be preventable.”
Brosseau’s lawyer said he hopes Meunier’s story prompts a broader reflection on how the healthcare system serves patients with disabilities.
Witness testimony is scheduled to continue through next week, with five additional days set for June.
Sylvie Brosseau is scheduled to take the stand on May 15.
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