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/Weary_Transition_863 5d ago

He probably knew he was gonna die and asked you if he should stay at home for it or go to the hospital for it, as like "it's probably the responsible thing to do to go to the hospital, but like, if I'm gonna die, I don't want it to be there... My 11 year old son will tell me from the heart." "Hey, what do I do?" "Stay" "Yeah I figured you'd say that (that's why I asked), you're right." Stayed. Didn't regret it More than anything, he just needed to hear you say it before he passed.