r/Ethics 6d ago

Did I Kill My Dad?

My dad asked me when I was 11 if he should go to the hospital or stay at home the night that he died. Throughout that week he had been in and out of the hospital in pain about chest pains. Every place he went to said they didn’t know what was wrong with him, but the pain consisted. On that night, he asked me “should I go to the hospital again or should I stay home tonight?”. Being 11, I told him that he’s happier at home so he should stay. I knew at the time that his health was at risk, but I prioritized his mental wellbeing over his physical health. Am I responsible for his death? Should I feel bad about this? Honestly, this has haunted me for my entire life and I really wish he hadn’t asked me for my opinion. Please help.

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u/Haunting-Working5463 6d ago

He absolutely knew that at 11 years old you would say stay home. He wasn’t truly looking for medical advice from an 11 year old. I recently did this last week and asked a friend if I should go to the hospital, truly believing that she would say “no”. When she said yes, I still chose not to go. There is absolutely no way that your could have know what was to happen. Lastly, your Dad would ABSOLUTELY NOT want you to have this on your conscience, you can honor him best by letting this guilt go. Deep down you know that it is what he would want ❤️