From death's door to fatherhood: Athlete's u‑turn on euthanasia for love and family

Jan Kavalir, a Czech athlete, suffers from the incurable disease ALS. For this reason, he wanted to undergo euthanasia in Switzerland but ultimately cancelled the procedure. His wife, who shared urgent news with him, convinced him.

Jan Kavalir, a Czech fitness coach and journalist, received a devastating diagnosis in August 2017. It turned out he suffers from ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which gradually takes away the body's control and leads to the patient's death. Three months earlier, Kavalir had met the love of his life, Martina, whom he married in 2021.

"He proposed to me in 2020 at the finish line of my triathlon. He kneeled on one knee and asked for my hand, and I was overjoyed. It was wonderful, so full of emotion," said his wife in an interview for "Denik N".

Although the disease progressed, Jan tried to live life to the fullest as much as possible. Unfortunately, he and his beloved knew he would soon leave this world. Kavalir decided that he wanted to die on his terms, so with his beloved's help, he planned his euthanasia in Switzerland. Martina gathered the documents, and the procedure was set for 19 April.

However, this did not happen. In the meantime, something happened that changed his perspective. The day before departure, Martina shared news with him that after many attempts, she managed to get pregnant. The woman hoped her husband would not die before the birth of their child, which he agreed to. As a result, despite the completed formalities, the deadly procedure was cancelled.

I told him that I didn't know if it was right towards him, but I suggest a different scenario. If he had refused and said that it's his life and he wants to end it immediately, I would not have objected, - shared with the mentioned media. He agreed that we wouldn't go. For both of us, it's clear that it's a sacrifice from both his side and mine. (...) He nodded to me that if that's what I want, he will stay because he loves me.

The couple's daughter is expected to be born in September this year. In the same interview, the woman mentioned that her husband increasingly suffered from loss of consciousness, and caring for him was and is a huge challenge for her. Kavalir cannot move or speak, communicating only through facial expressions and blinking.