By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition *
It is very sad news to announce that the great Diane Coleman [pictured here] has died. Diane founded Not Dead Yet in 1996 and was the President and CEO of Not Dead Yet until her death. The fact that other Not Dead Yet organizations world-wide were founded in conjunction with Not Dead Yet in America proves that her activities had world-wide significance.
I have always had incredible respect for Diane's direction, understanding of the issues and her leadership skills. Diane led a group of people who differed greatly and yet she effectively enabled them to work together.
Not Dead Yet, under Diane's leadership, was the most effective organization in preventing the spread of assisted suicide in America.
Diane and Stephen Drake
Diane Coleman and Stephen Drake spoke at some of the earlier EPC [Euthanasia Prevention Coalition] conferences that Not Dead Yet co-sponsored.
Not Dead Yet [was] incredibly successful during the Massachusetts assisted suicide voter initiative in 2012, Diane worked with John Kelly to establish Second Thoughts Connecticut as the disability rights voice - voting NO on question 2. This decision was a decisive factor in the defeat of the assisted suicide voter initiative in 2012.