The ‘chilling’ case of Michael Hickson and disability rights in the wake of coronavirus

The case of a Texan quadriplegic who died after all life-sustaining treatment was withdrawn is all too familiar to disabled people on both sides of the ocean during the pandemic, writes Holly Baxter

The 46-year-old father of five suffered a brain injury and was paralysed from the chest down after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest in 2017 (KVUE)

Michael Hickson’s wife is softly spoken and calm when she addresses the doctor on the phone. “What do you mean?” she says. “Because he’s paralysed with a brain injury he doesn’t have a quality of life?”

“Correct,” says the unidentified doctor, who is speaking with her from St David’s Medical Centre in South Austin, Texas.

“Who gets to make that decision on somebody’s quality of life? If they have a disability, that their quality of life is not good?” Melissa presses him. “Being able to live isn’t improving the quality of life?”