A 66-year-old man in New York state took it upon himself to put in writing his personal obituary as a cautionary story warning others towards smoking.

Geoffrey Turner died of lung most cancers on 13 February after many years of smoking.

“I used to be an fool who made the identical silly choice, day-after-day,” Mr Turner wrote. “When you’re a smoker – give up – now – your life is determined by it.”

His daughter, Sarah, instructed the BBC she was extraordinarily happy with her father’s final “selfless” act.

“I used to be a smoker and regardless that I knew it could ultimately kill me, I selected to disclaim the reality to myself,” Mr Turner’s obituary within the Albany Instances Union reads.

Mr Turner was recognized in November with stage 4 lung most cancers that his physician stated was a direct results of his years of smoking.

“The ache and struggling I induced my household was not definitely worth the perceived ‘satisfaction’ that basically did nothing greater than waste cash, separate me from my household, and ultimately destroyed my physique.

“I lived a good life, however there are such a lot of occasions and milestones I will be unable to share with my family members,” he wrote. “The ethical of this story – do not be an fool.

“Keep in mind, life is sweet – do not let it go up in smoke.”

Daughter Sarah Huiest instructed the BBC she was shocked when her father confirmed her the obituary.

“I instructed him that it was extremely self-deprecating,” Mrs Huiest says. “He shrugged his shoulders and stated, ‘it is all true’.”

The response to the sincere obituary has been very constructive, in keeping with his daughter.

“Buddies and strangers have reached out to me to say how his phrases have been what they wished they’d heard from their very own cherished one,” Mrs Huiest says.

She instructed the BBC her grandmother first caught Mr Turner smoking cigarettes when he was simply two-years-old – and her father himself remembered selecting up the behavior at age 4.

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Mr Turner initially stopped smoking after marrying Mrs Huiest’s mom, however as soon as he picked it up once more within the mid-90s throughout a enterprise journey to London, he didn’t give up till his most cancers analysis final yr.

However he by no means smoked in entrance of his youngsters, his daughter says.

“All whereas we grew up within the 80s and early 90s, he would communicate out towards smoking and urge us to by no means begin.”

The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention within the US say that cigarette smoking is the highest reason for preventable illness and loss of life within the nation, with round half 1,000,000 folks dying from smoking-related situations every year.

Mrs Huiest describes her father’s obituary as “by far essentially the most vital factor he did in his life”.

“He at all times needed ‘to do one thing large.’ I’m extraordinarily happy with the selfless act of this obituary. That is what he will probably be most generally recognized for and it’s a great point.”

Mr Turner is survived by his spouse, 4 youngsters and 4 grandchildren.