An acid attack victim who had planned her own death by euthanasia changed her mind after being talked out of it by the Pope.
Consuela Cordoba, horrifically injured in an acid attack 17 years ago, had made plans to end her life with a doctor’s help as euthanasia is legal in her home country Colombia in certain circumstances.
But when she recently met the pontiff in Colombia and asked him for approval to end her life, he refused to give it, saying she was ‘very brave and very pretty’.
It proved to be a lightbulb moment for Conseula, who decided there and then she would not kill herself.
Consuela Cordoba embraces Pope Francis during his five-day visit to Colombia last week
Consuela, from Istmina in the north-western Colombian department of Choco, has undergone 87 operations in an attempt to save her face. She needs tubes in her nostrils to breathe, can only consume liquid food through a straw and has to wear a mesh body suit at all times
When Consuela recently met the pontiff in Colombia and asked him for approval to end her life, he refused to give it, saying she was ‘very brave and very pretty’. It proved to be a lightbulb moment for Conseula, who decided there and then she would not kill herself
The Colombian was injured when her ex-partner Dagoberto Esuncho threw acid all over her in 2000 – a crime for which he served a meagre one month in prison for the crime.
Consuela, from Istmina in the north-western Colombian department of Choco, has undergone 87 operations in an attempt to save her face.
She needs tubes in her nostrils to breathe, can only consume liquid food through a straw and has to wear a mesh body suit at all times.
Her recent diagnosis of a brain infection pushed her over the edge and made her decide to end her life.
The date was set for September 29, so when Pope Francis visited Colombia last week as part of a five-day visit, Consuela asked him for his approval for her plan.
She had been selected to talk to the pontiff and was brought out of the crowd.
The two hugged before Consuela asked him to allow her to end her life.
She said: ‘He said no, he was not going to do it. He told me that I was very brave and very pretty.
‘That changed my life. Now I want to live.
‘Dr Gustavo Quinonez was going to give me the injection, but I’m not going to do it because God is going to bring greatness to my life.
‘So that I do not die, they will donate for the surgery that I need, which will cost several million pesos.’
Consuela, who had even planned her own grave, added: ‘I am going to tell Dr Gustavo thank you very much for your injection, but it is for another.’