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Disability Day of Mourning – March 1

disability day of mourningMURDER – The crime of intentionally killing a person (Cambridge Dictionary).

The International Disability Day of Mourning (DDoM) is recognized worldwide every year on March 1st. People across the globe join to remember persons with disabilities who were murdered by their parents/caregivers/family members. Yep…you read right…murdered…and apparently this happens often enough that there’s an actual day to recognise it. I was reading “The Ruderman White Paper: Media Coverage of the Murder of People with Disabilities by their Caregivers” (you can view it here: https://rudermanfoundation.org/white_papers/media-coverage-of-the-murder-of-people-with-disabilities-by-their-caregivers/)…a White Paper is basically a detailed and authoritative report…and noticed the statement “At least 219 disabled people were killed by parents and caregivers between 2011-2015—an average of approximately a murder a week.” WTH? Every week, a parent/caregiver murders their loved one who has a disability. WHAT?!

The Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) Who Are Murdered Vary in Age

So, children are being murdered and adults are being murdered. I remember the first time I ever heard about a caregiver murdering the person in their care: it was about an 82-year-old man who killed his wife, his adult son and adult daughter (both children had disabilities). What I found interesting when I read the articles about this case was the way in which the writers of the articles focused on all the negatives that came with raising children with disabilities and positioned the argument in such a way as if they were saying “death is better than living with disabilities”. Terms like “mercy killing” and “an act of love” are used in these murder reports. Also, claims of lack of services or no access to services for their child/children is often cited by the murderers as the reason they had to murder their child/children. The murderers state how hard it was caring for their victim and that this hardship led to the murder.

Now, Hold Up! disability day of mourning

Let’s step on the brakes here. What really makes a parent murder their child? The case that I cited occurred in what is referred to as a first world country. From the little that I know, these countries have more available services than, for example, a third world country. So, if I go by this logic, there should be no PWDs in third world countries, as services are close to non-existent there. Yet, this is not so. Most families, regardless of the country, fight everyday to care for their loved one who has a disability. So is “lack of services” really the reason these murders are occurring? Interestingly, the father who committed the murders had moved his adult children into assisted living facilities and he had two older daughters (no disabilities). Soooo, I am going to assume that the older sisters wanted to have nothing to do with the care of their siblings. I have no issues with this…to be frank, it’s not their responsibility. What puzzles me though is that these parents got their kids into these assisted living facilities…do you know how many families can’t do this, as no such facility exists, or the waiting list is quite extensive? So, why? A matter of fact, how? How did this father come to the conclusion that he had the right to take the lives of his children?

Being a Caregiver Takes a Toll on You Physically, Financially, Mentally, Emotionally, etc.

Do I acknowledge that the biggest fear of parents who have children with disabilities is that they will die leave their kids and no-one will take care of them? Yes, of this I am superbly aware, as I am a caregiver myself. Most, if not every, caregiver is scared of what will happen to their loved one when they are no longer around. But, let’s be real for a second. A parent hoping to outlive their child with Down Syndrome or any child at all is absurd. You have 20, 30 or 40 years on your child and you are hoping they will die first? Are you for real? In what world? I have less years on my sister and even though I have had those thoughts (hoping she will die before me…most parents & siblings have had this thought cross their minds at least once), I have had to come to the realization that I am being ridiculous. Down Syndrome is not a terminal illness, why on earth would my younger sister die before me, all being well?

Us caregivers need to be realistic and put things in place for our loved ones. Murdering them is not a plan. It’s not the solution, it’s a crime. Wouldn’t it be better for us to make a plan with family members and/or friends and put that plan into action while we are still alive so that we can verify that the plan works and improve upon it as we go along?

Caregivers, we have to get uncomfortable. If you are not a people person and you’re an introvert…in the words of  Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “It doesn’t matter!”. You will have to put yourself out there…walk right up to a stranger who knows about services for persons with disabilities or the parent who seems to have figured out how to get a job for their child or how to find a place for their child to live…walk right up to these people, introduce yourself and seek the help that you need. You don’t believe in talking to a counsellor? You believe that therapy is for white people? Too bad…every caregiver needs to speak to a counsellor, for the sake of their mental health, regardless of the colour of their skin. Caregivers…seek help and seek it early. Seek help the way the government seeks new ways to tax us. Accept your reality. Get uncomfortable. Be realistic. Do what you need to do now.

Oh, I almost forgot. When we try and justify murder by calling it a “mercy killing” or “an act of love”, are we saying that if your spouse has an accident and becomes disabled, you should murder them? When your parents get old and need your help, should you murder them? Should we have murdered Stephen Hawking? What exactly are we saying?

disability day of mourning


  1. Thanks for sharing this article disability day of mourning. It is really absurd and inhumane to killing a disabled family member because we couldn’t take care of them or seeing them as a burden. This is not right, very wrong. That’s a criminal act and punishable by law. I agree with you that love and care are to be given to every disabled persons to make them feel among. This article is an eye opener to what is happening in some places between care giver and disabled person. I have learnt alot. Thanks for sharing this article. 

    1. Hi Fortune,

      Thank you for taking the time to visit HappyDowns and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.


  2. Wow. That was a lot to learn. I had no idea there was a day of recognition. I am guessing you are a caregiver? I have not ever been one but I am of the old south where we really don’t do the nursing home, especially if you have kids. I had heard of “mercy killings”. I even think I heard something about a law trying to pass or did, I am not sure about that. Your article was very informative. I do not have answers to your questions, I think everyone has their own opinion but not really an answer.

    1. Hi Scole,

      Yes, I am a caregiver. I agree that everyone has their own opinion and I think it’s good to publish articles like this that will have persons discussing their varying opinions.

      Thank you for taking the time to read this article and I am happy to know that you learnt from it.


  3. The rate at which disabled people are being murdered these days is so disturbing,. I couldn’t  believe my eyes seeing the fact that 219 disabled persons were already killed within 5 years on the average, this is so cruel! It is indeed so disheartening  when you hear cases like that. In fact it worth setting aside a day to remember such set of people. Is it that people do that out of frustration?,  or tired of taking care of them? Or they see it as burden?  There must be an end to this punishable act!  Today, the murdered disabled people  are soberly remembered! Thanks for this thorough sensitization.

    1. Hello Tunde,

      Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Indeed, I hope to see the day when this becomes a thing of the past.


  4. Thank you. Your post made me aware that March 1 is the disability day of mourning. I live in China and I wasn’t aware of this concept before I read your article. I agree with you. It is really absurd and inhumane to kill a disabled family member simply because we couldn’t take care of them or seeing them as a burden. Therefore, we should try our best to give love. Care should be given to every disabled person.

    1. Hi JealousLi,

      Thank you for visiting HappyDowns. Yes, we should love and care for those among us who are different and who may need our help.


  5. Thanks for sharing this article about the disability day of mourning. It is wickedness and just inhumane to kill a disabled member of your family, simply because you couldn’t take care of them or you see them as a burden. Every disabled person needs all the love and affection they can get to make them feel human. There is ability in every disability, all they need is just encouragement and medium to explore their talents, because disabled or not everybody has a talent. I have seen a lady without hands that make dresses. Let’s help these people by giving them a chance to be useful for themselves and the society.
    I will love to refer to them as physically challenged rather than disabled!
    Thanks for sharing this article.

    1. Hello Jaykaynigltd,

      Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your very own experiences. Indeed, we all have abilities and talents and simply require a chance at life.

      I support a person’s choice of how they refer to persons with disabilities, as long as it’s respectful….so saying “physically challenged” is fine. 

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