Terry Pratchett dies :(

TrixiBuG · 12 Mar 2015 at 15:39

Stolen from twitter, this is how TP's people signed him off

OhEsEcks · 12 Mar 2015 at 15:43

SpeedFreak said:
I remember his documentary on assisted death, I wonder if that was what he decided to do.

Probably. Surrounded by his family at home in bed. It takes a while to die from Alzheimer's itself unless you're like in your 80s or 90s.

Mr Gimp · 12 Mar 2015 at 15:44

One of my very favourite authors who has had a profound impact on my sense of humour since my youth. RIP Terry

Wizzfizz · 12 Mar 2015 at 15:45

Says that he died at home in bed surrounded by family

Also, there is one last book that he completed last year, yet to be released

R.I.P

Aod · 12 Mar 2015 at 15:48

OhEsEcks said:
Probably. Surrounded by his family at home in bed. It takes a while to die from Alzheimer's itself unless you're like in your 80s or 90s.

The publishers statement was that he died naturally as a result of complications from the Alzheimer's.

I'm glad that he passed without having to endure a decline in mental faculties like so many Alzheimer's sufferers.

OhEsEcks · 12 Mar 2015 at 15:50

Aod said:
The publishers statement was that he died naturally as a result of complications from the Alzheimer's.

Probably because assisted suicide is still illegal here. If I had alzheimers and was topping myself, or my family were helping me, the way the law is now I wouldn't sing it from the rooftops.

Ayahuasca · 12 Mar 2015 at 15:55

OhEsEcks said:
Probably because assisted suicide is still illegal here. If I had alzheimers and was topping myself, or my family were helping me, the way the law is now I wouldn't sing it from the rooftops.

It would be very easy to detect if his death had been assisted, I think it's a little disrespectful to him and his family assuming it was.

dirtychinchilla · 12 Mar 2015 at 15:57

RIP. I was never a fan, but I know how much happiness you brought to people. I feel very sad.

GreatAuk · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:00

I've enjoyed his books so much over the years, and he seemed like such a good guy too. Quite shock that he's gone now. RIP

Castiel · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:00

Ayahuasca said:
It would be very easy to detect if his death had been assisted, I think it's a little disrespectful to him and his family assuming it was.

He has been very unwell for the past year, no one who knew him is very surprised that he has passed.

I do not think there is any suggestion that it was assisted.

OhEsEcks · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:01

Ayahuasca said:
It would be very easy to detect if his death had been assisted, I think it's a little disrespectful to him and his family assuming it was.

I don't see how. Terry was a big supporter of assisted suicide. So too are his family. Back in 2011 he even went as far as getting consent forms for a clinic in Switzerland.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jun/12/pratchett-starts-process-to-end-his-life

He's been pretty prolific on social media up until the last few weeks. And then this out of the blue. Maybe he took a turn for the worse... but there's no way in the last few days he was posting his last thoughts on twitter, while in the last stages of Alzheimer's. The last stages are brutal.

Woogie · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:04

This is horrific, I recently started re-reading the discworld books as well

RIP fella.

peterwalkley · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:04

Commander Vines put it well: Now that's a bit of an embuggerance.

I met him in the late 1980's when he came to visit the Imperial College Science Fiction Society. Very funny and charming guy. There were only about 4 or 5 discworld books out then, but you could tell they were going to be something special even back then.

RIP

campbell · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:04

Sad times

Thumpsta · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:04

Sad news. Enjoyed reading his books over the years.

J.T · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:04

No damnit!!

R.I.P Sir Terry, you will be missed.

Ayahuasca · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:06

OhEsEcks said:
I don't see how. Terry was a big supporter of assisted suicide. So too are his family. Back in 2011 he even went as far as getting consent forms for a clinic in Switzerland.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jun/12/pratchett-starts-process-to-end-his-life

He's been pretty prolific on social media up until the last few weeks. And then this out of the blue. Maybe he took a turn for the worse... but there's no way in the last few days he was posting his last thoughts on twitter, while in the last stages of Alzheimer's. The last stages are brutal.

Just because Terry and his family were a big supporter of it doesn't mean they would like to be accused of assisting his death.

As Castiel has said above he's been very unwell for a year and it's come to no surprise to those who knew him.

The Dread Pirate · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:06

I say we call for a national "The Luggage" Day in honor of his memory!

Cosimo · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:07

A very sad day.

RIP

No1newts · 12 Mar 2015 at 16:11

Huge, huge shame.

His illness then this have taken a marvellous author from the world, gutted from a personal perspective and condolences to his family.

He'll at least leave a fantastic legacy behind him for generations to remember.

RIP.