Canadian children’s author Robert Munsch has chosen to pursue medical assistance in dying following diagnoses of dementia and Parkinson’s disease. CBC
Robert Munsch, the celebrated Canadian author behind children’s favourites like Love You Forever, The Paper Bag Princess, and Mortimer, has been approved for medical assistance in dying (MAID). Munsch, 80, applied for MAID after his dementia diagnosis, joking with reporters, “Hello, Doc — come kill me! How much time do I have? Fifteen seconds!”
He explained that a date has not been set because Canadian law requires patients to give consent at the moment of receiving MAID. “I have to pick the moment when I can still ask for it,” Munsch told reporters.
Family Speaks Out
His daughter, Julie Munsch, took to social media to reassure fans that her father is not dying immediately. “My father IS NOT DYING!!!” she wrote, emphasizing that he applied for MAID five years ago and is “doing well,” though she acknowledged that dementia can progress quickly. Julie warned readers to avoid clickbait, noting that the article never said her father’s health was failing suddenly.
Why Munsch Chose MAID
Canada recently revised MAID laws to allow some patients to waive final consent if their natural death is reasonably foreseeable, particularly for those at risk of losing decision-making ability. Munsch said his choice came after watching one of his brothers suffer from Lou Gehrig’s disease. “They kept him alive through all these interventions,” he said. “I thought: Let him die.”
Munsch first shared his dementia diagnosis in 2021 and has since been navigating the physical and cognitive challenges of the disease.
A Life of Storytelling
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Munsch moved to Canada in 1975. He has written more than 70 children’s books, selling millions across North America, with translations in 20 languages. Many stories, including Stephanie’s Ponytail and Think Big!, were inspired by children he met during school visits and performances. “I am a storyteller,” Munsch wrote. “I write books for kids, I talk to kids, and I listen to kids.”
Munsch’s personal life included struggles with addiction and mental health, as well as the grief of two stillborn children before adopting three. This experience inspired Love You Forever, which became Canada’s bestselling children’s book for three consecutive years and a quiet bestseller in the U.S.
In 2008, a stroke temporarily erased his memory of his stories, but he gradually returned to storytelling through therapy. In 2023, he experienced a creative resurgence, producing Bounce!, published in 2024, and The Perfect Paper Airplane, which is set for release this fall.
Legacy and Recognition
Munsch has received the Order of Canada, a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame, and two Ontario public schools are named after him. His books remain cherished by generations of children, and his legacy as a storyteller who truly listened to children endures, even as he faces the final chapter of his life.
