The Pope’s death today, after a protracted illness, raised a haunting question: was he somehow able ‘hang on’ to see one final Easter?
Is it possible to that sheer willpower can keep a person alive in their last days or hours—and can people choose the moment to die?
Social media is awash with personal anecdotes that, seemingly, indicate that such things often do happen: a mother, terminally ill, who passed away the day after meeting her first grandchild, or the dad who lived just long enough to see his daughter walk down the aisle.
And the answer, according to numerous medical sources, is that this is a genuine phenomenon—although it isn’t fully understood.
Pope Francis, 88, had recently left hospital under ‘protected discharge’ after suffering an infection that developed into double pneumonia.
And, despite his health issues and reduced mobility, the Pontiff had—much like Queen Elizabeth, who died aged 96 in 2022—kept a busy schedule until his final weeks.
Just yesterday, he had appeared on his balcony to thousands of cheering devotees gathered in St Peter’s Square for Easter Mass.
And days before, on Holy Thursday, he had visited Rome’s Regina Coeli prison, continuing his long-standing tradition of beginning the Triduum with convicts.
The Pope’s death today, after a protracted period battling severe illness, raised a haunting question: was he somehow able ‘hang on’ to see a final Easter?
The Pontiff, 88, had recently left hospital under ‘protected discharge’ after suffering an infection that developed into double pneumonia
Just yesterday, he had appeared on his balcony to thousands of cheering devotees gathered in St Peter’s Square for Easter Mass
He was unable to perform the traditional foot-washing—mirroring Jesus’s act of washing his disciples’ feet before his crucifixion—the 88-year-old reportedly told the prisoners he still wanted to be close to them.
As the news of the Pope’s passing, mourners took to X.com with one writing: ‘Talk about divine timing. May his soul rest in eternal peace.’
Another commented: ‘Sometimes when ill, humans will hang on for one last thing. For Pope Francis, it was Easter 2025’.
So what is the truth?
Clinicians in hospice and palliative care often witness patients seemingly holding on until a meaningful moment—only then allowing themselves to let go.
According to Cancer Research UK, even when the body is ‘shutting down’, some dying people ‘might resist death’.
In an article entitled ‘The Final Days of Life’ it explains: ‘They might still have issues they want to resolve or relationships they want to put right.’
Speaking to medical magazine STAT, Dr. Toby Campbell, an oncologist and palliative care specialist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, said that patients typically have limited control in the final stages of life.
And days before, on Holy Thursday, he had visited Rome’s Regina Coeli prison, continuing his long-standing tradition of beginning the Triduum with convicts
As the news of the Pope’s passing, mourners took to X.com with one writing: ‘Talk about divine timing. May his soul rest in eternal peace’
But that doesn’t mean they don’t have any.
‘People in end-of-life care wouldn’t bat an eye if you asked if they think people can, to a certain degree, control those final moments,’ Dr Campbell told STAT. ‘We’d all say, ‘Well, yeah. Sure.’ But it’s inexplicable.’
According to an article on Marie Curie, the end of life charity’s website ‘it can sometimes appear that people choose the moment to die.
‘For example, people talk about someone trying to stay alive until a relative arrives at their bedside, or until a special anniversary or birthday.
‘A person who is confused, drowsy or unconscious may also wake up and be able to say a final goodbye before dying.’
The article also points out that some people die alone or at an unexpected time.
‘Some people tell us a relative appeared to wait until everyone had left the room—even for the shortest time—before they died.’
It concludes: ‘It’s impossible to know why people die at the precise moment they do. They may have little control over those final moments.’
And, despite his health issues and reduced mobility, Francis had—much like Queen Elisabeth, who died aged 96 in 2022—kept a busy schedule until his final weeks
While the timing of the Pope’s death may be more than coincidental, medical scientists have little explanation as to why that might be.
A body of research known as ‘the will to live near death’ touches on this phenomenon, however there are far from clear answers.
When it comes to holding on for just a few more hours—seemingly through sheer force of will—Dr Campbell believes the body’s hormonal systems come into play.
‘They probably have some kind of hormonal stimulus that’s just a driver to keep them going,’ he told STAT.
‘Then, when whatever event they were waiting for happens, the stimulus goes away. There must be some kind of relaxing into it that then allows them to die.’
