She was to become one of the first people in California to end her life under the state's new doctor-assisted suicide law for the terminally ill. When Betsy Davis invited friends and family to a two-day farewell party, she had one rule: no crying in front of her. Betsy took her own life one month after the new law was introduced in California. The party, which she had dubbed her "rebirth", was to be a relaxed and happy affair. A friend who went to the party said that while the event was challenging, he wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Source: New Zealand Herald August 12, 2016 02:15 UTC