Ont. man marks his last birthday as he waits for medically-assisted death

Doug Milne has chosen to make his 91st birthday his last.

"I did not want to go to a nursing home, long-term care home or hospital. My life span is over."

The Beeton, Ont. man has chosen a medically assisted death in the coming days.

Milne said heart failure and a nearly complete vision loss led him to the decision to die on Feb. 20.

But what he didn't expect was a flood of birthday cards from his community, including students and people he'd never met.

"Some of them make you smile, laugh, get emotional," said Milne.

A sea of colour now fills his home with more than 100 cards proudly on display.

Milne's daughter, Carolyn, said she spent 45 minutes reading each one to her father.

"We laughed, and we cried, and they were just so wonderful," she said.

"It was amazing and quite unexpected," Milne said.

As his last day approaches, Milne said he's spending time with family and using his sense of humour to pass the time, adding the cards are icing on the cake and a way to say goodbye to a life well-lived.

"It's been a good life. I have no regrets," he concluded.