James Valentine chose joy and voluntary assisted dying in his final months, Australian Story reveals

Key facts

• James Valentine died at age 64 less than two weeks before the Australian Story episode aired on Monday night.
• He was diagnosed with terminal cancer after first experiencing symptoms in November 2023.
• Valentine held a living wake for 180 guests on Valentine's Day at Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club.
• He chose voluntary assisted dying (VAD), calling it 'a very civilised process'.
• His wife, clinical psychologist Joanne Corrigan, was with him along with their children Roy and Ruby when he died.
• Valentine told the VAD team he wanted to proceed while in pain and at risk of slipping into unconsciousness.
• He said the decision to pursue VAD 'took no thought at all'.

A farewell filled with laughter, not rage

James Valentine, the much-loved Sydney broadcaster, musician and author, died at the age of 64 less than two weeks ago, after a terminal cancer diagnosis that he faced with an unwavering commitment to joy. In an emotional episode of the ABC's Australian Story that aired on Monday night, Valentine was shown telling a gathering of 180 family and friends at his living wake that he wanted his last days to be full of happiness and humour, not bitterness or anger. 'I started to think about the way in which death was so often a time of bitterness, of anger, of regret, shaking your fist at the universe or your god and going, "what the hell is going on here?" I don't want that,' he said. 'I want my last days to be full of joy and happiness and laughter and jokes and humour – all the things I've loved through life.'

The living wake on Valentine's Day

The living wake was fittingly held on Valentine's Day at Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club, a venue close to the ocean that Valentine loved. He urged his guests to share stories of stupid things they had done together or adventures they had shared, calling the experience 'a gift that I can take with me into these next months, which are going to be tough.' He added, 'This is nourishment for my soul, which I'm getting from you today. So thank you.' The event was filmed for Australian Story, capturing a man determined to shape his own narrative even as his body failed him.

Choosing a gentle end through voluntary assisted dying

Valentine's decision to pursue voluntary assisted dying (VAD) was a central theme of the episode. He told the cameras that the choice 'took no thought at all,' explaining, 'There is a great relief in knowing that should things get too bad, you can stop it. That's more for Joanne and the kids as it is for me, really.' He described VAD as 'a very civilised process' designed to cut out suffering at the end of life. In a pointed rejection of the famous Dylan Thomas poem, he said, 'I really hate the Dylan Thomas poem Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. How about you go gentle into that good night? What's with the rage? What's with the anger?'

The final moments at home with family

Valentine died in the bedroom of his eastern suburbs home, surrounded by his wife, clinical psychologist Joanne Corrigan, and their two children, Roy and Ruby. The day after his death, Corrigan described how, despite being in pain and at risk of slipping into unconsciousness, Valentine summoned the energy to tell the VAD team that he wanted to proceed. 'He felt cosy,' she said. 'He chose the place in the bed where I sleep all the time. He was like, "I want to be here, in this spot. I'm just comfortable." It was a very gentle end to the suffering. The three of us said goodbye to him and he was immediately just at peace. It was beautiful.'

A diagnosis that began with trouble swallowing

Valentine first noticed symptoms in November 2023, when he had trouble swallowing. He initially dismissed it as indigestion, thinking, 'I'm an old man, I'm getting indigestion.' But after a night at a party where he ate too quickly and ended up outside vomiting, he realised something was seriously wrong. The cancer diagnosis that followed set him on a path of reflection and planning for a death that would be as deliberate and meaningful as his life had been.

A legacy of warmth and public conversation

Valentine's death sparked days of warm tributes from fellow broadcasters and listeners on ABC radio, reflecting the deep affection Sydney held for him. His decision to hold a living wake and to speak openly about choosing VAD prompted broader discussions about end-of-life choices. By sharing his journey so publicly, he has left a legacy that extends beyond his work in music, radio and books: a model for facing mortality with grace, humour and a refusal to rage against the dying of the light.

The bottom line

• James Valentine died at 64 after a terminal cancer diagnosis, having chosen voluntary assisted dying.
• He hosted a living wake on Valentine's Day at Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club, attended by 180 guests.
• Valentine rejected the notion of dying with rage, instead embracing joy and humour until the end.
• His wife Joanne Corrigan and their children Roy and Ruby were with him when he died peacefully at home.
• The Australian Story episode aired on Monday night, sparking tributes and discussions about VAD.
• Valentine first noticed symptoms in November 2023, initially mistaking them for indigestion.