“I was depressed. I was going through difficulty at that point. I needed counseling, I needed care, not assisted suicide pills,” J.J. Hanson, who died Dec. 30 at age 36, told The Daily Signal last year about a time in his life after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Hanson, who is survived by his wife, Kristen, and two sons, James and Lucas, was a Marine veteran. Told when he was diagnosed in 2014 he would only live a few months more, he managed to have three more years with his family.

“JJ lived his motto: ‘Every day is a gift, and you can’t ever let that go.’ … JJ’s death is a loving example of an authentic ‘death with dignity,’” said Kathleen M. Gallagher, director of pro-life activities for the New York State Catholic Conference.

Hanson also spoke about his decision to fight for life, and against assisted suicide legalization, in this video produced by the Patients Rights Action Fund, which he worked for:

If you wish to donate to his wife and children, the YouCaring page is here.

Copyright 2018 The Daily Signal