'I Want to Go in Peace': Noelia Castillo’s Last Moments Before Assisted Death
Noelia Castillo, a 25-year-old survivor of prolonged abuse, delivered a deeply emotional farewell to her family before undergoing euthanasia in Spain on Thursday.
Noelia Castillo shared emotional final words before euthanasia in Spain, ending years of legal battles and suffering while sparking national debate.
“I want to go now in peace and stop suffering,” she said, according to Antena 3, making clear her decision in her final hours.
Antenna 3
Her family stayed with her until 30 minutes before the procedure, continuing their efforts to convince her to reconsider. Despite their presence and pleas, Castillo remained resolute.
In a final request, she asked her loved ones to leave the hospital room before the process began. A doctor then carried out the procedure, administering a sedative followed by three injections over approximately 15 minutes.
In an earlier interview, Castillo explained her decision to face death alone. “I don’t want them to see me closing my eyes,” she said, expressing her wish to spare her family from witnessing her final moments.
Castillo had been living with severe pain after becoming paralyzed from the waist down following a suicide attempt in 2022. She had also spoken about enduring years of sexual violence, including a gang rape.
Her path to euthanasia was delayed by a prolonged legal battle. Although Spain legalized assisted death in 2021 and she received approval in 2024, her father challenged the decision in court with the support of Christian Lawyers, leading to rulings across five courts.
Speaking shortly before her death, Castillo questioned his opposition. “Why does he want me alive, just to keep me in a hospital?” she said. “Not all parents are prepared for this. He keeps telling me he understands me, but he doesn’t.”
Her mother and sister also opposed her decision. Her mother, Yolanda, shared her heartbreak publicly. “I’ve been praying and thinking… hoping that at the last moment she’ll say ‘I regret it’,” she said.
The case drew wider reactions. Catholic bishops criticized the outcome, describing it as “an accumulation of personal suffering and institutional shortcomings that calls the whole of society into question.”
Christian Lawyers echoed similar concerns. “If deliberately caused death is the solution to problems, then anything goes,” the group said.
Outside the Barcelona hospital, supporters gathered, leaving flowers at the entrance in a quiet show of solidarity.
