A devoted couple who had been married for almost 50 years and “did everything together” chose to end their lives together after a devastating, life-limiting diagnosis, an inquest heard.
Ian Christopher Hunt, 81, and his wife Lynne, 77, had lived in their home in Carnkie, Cornwall, since 2002, and were said to be deeply in love, living for one another and their dog, Fern.
Lynne had already survived cancer, but received another health blow when she was diagnosed with the degenerative motor neurone disease.
The couple decided they could not bear to be apart, with Lynne facing a future that would have seen her “strapped to a chair and sounding like Stephen Hawking”.
As a result, on March 15 this year, Lynne and Ian were found deceased at their home, having taken an overdose of medication, according to an inquest reported by CornwallLive.
The inquest, held in Truro, heard that Lynne, 77, a cancer survivor and former PA to the head of children’s services at Cornwall Council, and Ian, 81, a talented piano player and woodturner with a varied career history, were a sociable and well-liked couple in their village community.
The inquest heard that upon learning of her motor neurone disease, Lynne was adamant with her family that she did not wish to be tube-fed or have her head strapped to a chair.
Following several falls in March this year, further assessments at Royal Cornwall Hospital revealed her condition was more aggressive than initially believed. After the diagnosis, despite having a care package, Lynne and Ian chose to face the future together.
At the hearing, Lynne’s sister, Kerry Todd, expressed that Lynne had been “scared of what the disease would do to her body”.
She said: “I knew how the medical condition affected her. She was terrified of how it would affect her and how it would affect Ian. She didn’t want to continue in that way. She told me she didn’t want any of the care package.
“Lynne and Ian’s deaths were a huge shock but having had a look at her condition I understand what they did. The fact they did it in secret without their family around, with a bottle of Champagne, is a great sadness, but I respect their choice.”
Lynne and Ian were tragically found deceased in their home on March 15. Initially, emergency services were concerned about a potential carbon monoxide leak, but this was quickly ruled out.
After confirming the area was safe, paramedics and police officers entered, only to find that the couple had already passed away due to an overdose of medication.
DC Victoria Swan, who led the investigation, shared with the inquest that the couple had left behind a poignant final letter, a will, and instructions for the care of their dog by friends. In their heartfelt letter, they expressed gratitude to their loved ones, friends, and the NHS staff who had cared for Lynne.
DC Swan told the inquest: “Lynne knew what would happen in the near future to her body. Ian and Lynne did everything together. They were inseparable and lived for each other. They knew what the future would be like and didn’t want to live without each other, so they decided to fall asleep together.”
Concluding in a joint suicide, assistant coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Guy Davies, said: “The evidence is that Lynne and Ian were a loving and devoted couple. Following a diagnosis of motor neurone disease, they clearly resolved not to be parted and took their own lives together. They did everything together, and were a close couple in life and in death.”