Robert Munsch, Beloved Canadian Children’s Author, Chooses MAID After Dementia Diagnosis

Robert Munsch, one of Canada’s most beloved children’s authors, has revealed that he has been approved for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) following his dementia diagnosis. At 80 years old, the Paper Bag Princess and Love You Forever author says he intends to choose the moment of his passing while he can still provide consent under Canadian law.

“I have to pick the moment when I can still ask for it,” Robert Munsch explained in a recent New York Times profile, adding with his trademark humour that his original application was, “Hello, Doc — come kill me!”

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From Joyful Stories to Personal Struggles

Robert Munsch’s career has touched millions. With more than 70 children’s books translated into 20 languages, his stories have become staples in homes and classrooms across North America. Yet behind the whimsical tales, Munsch has faced profound personal challenges.

• Love You Forever was inspired by the heartbreak of two stillborn children.

• He has spoken openly about struggles with addiction and bipolar disorder.

• In 2008, he suffered a stroke, and in 2021 he announced his dementia diagnosis.

Despite these hardships, Munsch’s work continued to bring joy to children everywhere. Even as his memory and writing ability faded, he briefly rediscovered his creativity in 2023, producing the book Bounce!

Canadian Children’s Author Robert Munsch

Why MAID?

Munsch’s decision was shaped by personal experience. After watching his brother endure prolonged suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), he vowed not to follow the same path.

“They kept him alive through all these interventions. I thought: Let him die,” he said.

Canadian MAID law requires patients to confirm consent immediately before the procedure. That stipulation has weighed heavily on Munsch, who fears losing his ability to communicate. “Will I be a turnip in a bed in a year?” he asked in a 2021 CBC interview.

A Storied Legacy

Munsch was born in Pittsburgh but moved to Canada in 1975. Over the decades, he earned some of the country’s highest honours:

• Order of Canada (1999)

• Star on Canada’s Walk of Fame (2009)

• Two Ontario schools named in his honour

 

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His stories — from the rebellious princess who outsmarts a dragon to the haunting lullaby of Love You Forever — reflect his belief in children’s resilience, imagination, and honesty.

Even now, when speaking has grown difficult, Munsch can still tell his tales with remarkable clarity. “My stories, strangely enough, are all there. The stories will be the last thing to go, I think,” he once said.

For many Canadians, Robert Munsch is more than an author — he is a cultural icon whose books shaped childhood memories across generations. His choice to embrace MAID underscores his lifelong insistence on honesty, even about life’s hardest truths.

As he prepares for his final chapter, Munsch leaves behind not only millions of cherished books but also a reminder of the profound connection between storytelling, love, and the human spirit.