'Crying my eyes out': This Morning viewers left in tears over heartbreaking story of woman who drove her husband 500 miles to die at Switzerland's Dignitas clinic

  • Sandra Barclay, 67, spoke about her last words to her husband Andrew, 65
  • Andrew took a lethal dose in an apartment near Zurich, Switzerland
  • He had been suffering from MS since 1992 and could no longer cope with illness 
  • Sandra may now face police investigation on her return to Britain
  • Under 1961 Suicide Act anyone helping someone to take life can be prosecuted

A woman who drove her husband 500 miles to Switzerland's Dignitas clinic so he could die peacefully revealed his last words to her were 'I have always loved you'.

Sandra Barclay, 67, had This Morning viewers in floods of tears as she spoke about her husband Andrew Barclay, 65, from Folkestone in Kent, who had spent 24 years suffering from multiple sclerosis. 

The heartbreaking revelation was too much to bear for those watching at home: 'Crying my eyes out watching This Morning. What a brave lady.'

Andrew Barclay, 65, pictured with his wife Sandra, 67, ahead of his trip to Switzerland last week where he died via assisted suicide

Andrew has suffered from multiple sclerosis since 1992 and was confined to a wheelchair, he made the decision to go to the Dignitas clinic in Zurich with the support from his wife

Andrew and his wife Sandra seen here on their wedding day in 1974, the couple made the decision together and now Sandra may face a police investigation

It was an emotional moment as Sandra shared her last words with her husband Andrew for the first time on This Morning

The revelation was too much to bear for those watching This Morning at home as they tweeted that they were in tears

 'Literally in tears. What a strong woman,' added another.

'Sat crying at #ThisMorning so heatbreaking. #dyingwithdignity brave family.'

 Sandra revealed her husband's last words to her were: "Goodbye I’ve always loved you" and I said "Cheerio I’ve always loved you too".

Sandra, 67, explained to the presenters that she never wanted to say a final goodbye instead opting for "cheerio".

Grandfather Andrew, 65, had suffered with the debilitating MS since 1992 and visited Dignitas after he could no longer cope with the strain it had on his day-to-day life.  

 Sandra made the decision to open up about her husband Andrew following his decision to give an interview, which was published in a Saturday newspaper, following his death at the Dignitas clinic last Thursday.

 Sandra wants to raise the legality of euthanasia in the UK and suggested to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby that if assisted suicide was legal in the UK  there might have been a chance Andrew could have enjoyed one last Christmas and New Year.

It was the first time she had chosen to speak in depth and it was clearly an emotional moment for her as opened up about risking prosecution by helping her husband to die rather than continue to suffer with MS.  

Viewers at home were clearly left moved by her words: 'Crying my eyes out watching #ThisMorning such a brave woman.'

'In tears at #ThisMorning that lady has so much strength! I could never do that, knowing it was the last time we spent together!' one person said of Sandra.

'Bawling my eyes out. What a beautiful, strong family they must be. All my love to them. #ThisMorning' 

She opened up about her decision to support her husband as they travelled to Switzerland to the Dignitas clinic

Andrew spoke about his decision in an interview over the weekend and Sandra waited until today to share her side of their story

Viewers praised Sandra for her composed and honest interview and some agreed that euthanasia should be made legal in the UK

Some people were in support of Sandra wanting to raise awareness of euthanasia being made legal in the UK: '#ThisMorning what an amazing composed lady. We should all have the right to choose when we want to die.'

'Wow what an incredible brave lady #ThisMorning sat here crying my eyes out for their suffering. #RIPAndrew hope the UK brings it in #Dignitas,' added another.

Sandra said she driven her husband to Switzerland because it was too difficult for him to fly there.

Sandra's decision to support her husband means she may be at risk of facing a police investigation under the 1961 Suicide Act, which states anyone helping someone to take life can be prosecuted.

She told Holly and Phillip: ‘The fact remains if this is available in the UK. We could have possibly had Christmas and new year together but when the date come through we knew he could possibly get worse.

Sandra said that she and her husband enjoyed their last days sightseeing in Zurich before Andrew then went to an apartment to take a lethal dose

There were people who agreed with Sandra about the laws in the UK and praised her for being brave in wanting to raise awareness of dying with dignity

‘There are others that say, you should no way take your own life. Everyone is entitiled to their own opinion and those are the ones that won’t go down that route.

‘For the rest of us that do, you can go down that route.'

Asked by Phillip if she felt bitter about not getting extra time she said: 'No Phillip, we weren’t, we were able to do it, we could afford to do it.

'But we were able to go there it took a great effort, but bitter? No.'

She explained how they enjoyed Andrew's last days sightseeing in Zurich before he arrived at the apartment where he was to end his life.

'We had an appointment on Tuesday afternoon, it was for about ten minutes and we enjoyed our stay,' she said.

Sandra told how Andrew was given an anti-sickness drink and then asked one last time to confirm he wanted to take the lethal dose, which he then went ahead and consumed.

'You can lay in a bed or sit in a chair, and Andrew decided to sit in a chair and I am glad he did. Twenty minutes later they came in and checked his pulse.

‘It was very peaceful. Why it cannot be done here I do not know, we can do it for our dogs and cats why not our loved ones?' Sandra asked.

‘His last words were "Goodbye I’ve always loved you" and I said "Cheerio I’ve always loved you too". 

This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10.30am 

ASSISTED SUICIDE: WHAT ARE THE RULES?

Assisted dying is illegal in the UK, with the Coroner and Justice Act 2009 also making it an offence to encourage or assist suicide.

In February 2010, guidelines were issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions that clarified the position for families travelling to places, such as Dignitas in Switzerland, with dying loved ones. 

It was indicated that anyone acting with compassion to help end the life of someone who cannot continue would be unlikely to face charges. 

The document was published after a ruling in 2009 in favour of MS sufferer Debbie Purdy, with the Law Lords accepting she had a right to know whether her husband Omar Puente would be prosecuted if he helped her to travel abroad to commit suicide.  

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