死ぬ瞬間 the moment of death

　ご近所の方が、肺にできた血栓が原因で、突然お亡くなりになりました。朝になっても起きてこないので、家人が見に行くと体温は残っているものの、布団のなかで既に動かなくなっていたそうです。

　周りの人は突然のことで驚きますが、苦しむこともなく、家族に介護の負担もかけず亡くなったのは、本人にとっては良かったのではないかと思いますが、本当のところはわかりません。

　最新の脳科学の研究でわかってきたことは、心停止で脳への血流が止まっても、数十秒のあいだ、脳は活動を続けるそうです。彼はその間、自分の死を知り得たか、何か感じることはあったのか。それは誰にもわかりません。

　私が自ら体験するのもそう遠くはないようです。久しぶりに涙がこぼれました。

　A neighbor passed away suddenly from a blood clot in his lungs. He didn't wake up in the morning, so when his wife went to see him, he was still warm, but he had already stopped moving in his bed.

　People around him were surprised at the suddenness of his death, but I think it was good for him that he passed away without suffering and without burdening his family with nursing care. But I'm not sure.

　According to the latest brain science research, even if the blood flow to the brain stops due to cardiac arrest, the brain continues to be active for several tens of seconds. Could he know his death and feel anything during that time? No one can know that.

　It doesn't seem too far off for me to experience it myself. For the first time in years, I let go of my teardrop.