10 Years On, Berry Family Recalls Dolly’s Painful Vegetative State & Slow Death The Supreme Court’s recent approval of passive euthanasia for Harish Rana has stirred memories for the Berry family of Gadikhana in central Nagpur. A decade after their daughter Dolly’s death, the family reflects on her six-and-a-half-year battle in a vegetative state, praising the court’s decision while grappling with the emotional weight of their loss. Dolly, a 23-year-old choreographer and anchor, had been in a coma since July 2016, following a suicide attempt linked to a miscarriage and a broken marriage. Her family saved her but could not revive her fully. She remained bedridden, unable to move or speak, relying on tubes for sustenance. The Berrys spent over 2 crore rupees on medical care, including nurses and intensive treatment, over six years. Dolly’s husband, charged with causing her abortion and cruelty, remained free on bail during her ordeal. The family avoided legal action to end her suffering, fearing it would equate to abandoning her. “We tried everything. We kept her with us till the end,” said Dolly’s sister, Deepika, who described the emotional toll of her sister’s condition. Festivals like Diwali felt hollow, as the family could not leave her side, constantly battling bedsores, pneumonia, and fever. Dolly passed away quietly in August 2022, leaving her mother, Neelam, to mourn by recalling her dance moves and wiping away tears. The family now advocates for legal reform, arguing that individuals in a vegetative state should have the right to end their suffering with dignity. “People in this state hang by a thread, neither alive nor dead. It’s cruel for the family. No joy, no peace,” Deepika said.#supreme_court #berry_family #dolly #gadikhana #deepika
