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San Francisco Chronicle
05-07-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
My dad asked me to help end his life. I still can't wrap my head around what followed
It was otherwise a normal weekend visit with my dad, Sam. At least as normal as it could be with a proud 76-year-old man who, for seven months, had been rapidly deteriorating from blood cancer. Briefly, we sat at the dining table and scanned the newspaper. I ribbed him for turning the heat on during a warm spring day because he no longer had good circulation. He cracked a wan smile. Then the wholly unexpected came — when dad slid me a form to sign. He needed a witness for the aid-in-dying drug that, since 2016, has been available to certain terminally ill adults in California. My dad was the perfect candidate. Which is to say, he met all the legally mandated requirements. Before filling out the end-of-life consent form in March, he consulted two doctors and was assured he had fewer than six months to live. His mind remained sharp and capable of making decisions. He desired independence, even as his rope-muscled frame, honed from years of backpacking and running Bay to Breakers, had started to waste away. To some degree, I understood his frustration. I knew how much he resented feeling drained all the time, lacking the energy to wash dishes or walk to the grocery store. And I desperately feared the man who refused everyone's help would wind up in the most helpless state of all, tethered to machines in a hospital. But wanting your father to find peace, in the abstract, was one thing. Green-lighting his death was another. While dutifully signing the form, I stared at him in disbelief. Both of my parents believe in personal choice about health outcomes; neither has political or religious qualms. In fact, when I was growing up, my dad made off-color jokes about end-of-life interventions, telling my sister and me to 'give him the pill' when his time came. This, of course, was well before his cancer diagnosis. Still, when the package with its two bottles of powder to be mixed with apple juice arrived in April, my mother was as wary as I was. She and Sam agreed to put the bottles on a high shelf where he couldn't reach them. From my mother's perspective, I'm sure it felt like having a loaded gun in the house. My dad saw things differently. During his life, he'd worked as an earthquake engineer, meaning he studied — literally — how the ground shifts beneath us. I believe a person who specializes in tectonic change may view his own death as another natural convulsion. His focus was not to stave death off, but to manage and mitigate impacts. Beyond that, Sam hated how his world had closed in. He'd always loved taking long walks with no fixed destination or planning international trips on the fly. (For years, he'd carried a business card that spoofed TV westerns: 'have laptop, will travel.') As he grew weaker, the notion of a swift, painless death probably became more tantalizing, especially since he could determine when it happened. It was not by accident that my dad started calling his aid-in-dying drug 'the potion.' It took him until Father's Day to ask for the potion, four years after his initial diagnosis and 10 months after his body really started breaking down. By that point, he couldn't walk up and down the front steps to his house. Largely bound to a chair, he grudgingly asked me to lift his arms when I came to visit so he could put on a jacket. Then, after about 20 minutes, he told me to leave, as if embarrassed to be needing assistance. When he requested the drug that night, my mother begged for more time. My father, growing exasperated, agreed to wait a couple of days if we bought him a better chair. He was eyeing a motorized 'power' recliner. The next morning, my sister began a frantic online shopping excursion, drove a pickup truck to my parents' house and delivered the recliner that afternoon. But two days later, my dad asked for the potion again. Again, we implored him to wait. Yet it no longer seemed fair to postpone the inevitable. My dad's spleen had swelled to about half his body weight. It took two people to lift him to a standing position. We never quite landed on the appropriate moment, or ceremony, for a man who would have preferred to quietly fade out. Without a clear vision, I nursed ideas about holding hands and sharing memories that were sincere and freighted with gravitas. My dad, meanwhile, had his own internal clock — and it had run out. We bought his chair on Monday. By Thursday morning, he woke early and asked for water, then fell mute. He was unable to ingest the end-of-life medication, which, by law, a patient must take on their own. At around 10 a.m., a hospice provider arrived and ordered morphine. A whole process clicked into place: We rifled through his address book, called extended family and old friends, hired caregivers for the night and had to cancel them an hour later. By then, my dad was gone. 'I'm so glad you didn't give him the potion,' my father's longtime business partner sobbed when I called him that afternoon. He had heard about my dad's request and felt heartbroken. Now, as I relitigate the events of those last few days, I play out the different scenarios. My dad was straining for control over his cancer, and I wonder if it was wrong for us to take that away from him in this last stage. Perhaps we could have let go earlier and empowered him to die whenever the urge came over him. Maybe my sister and I didn't need to be involved, didn't have to say a formal goodbye. There are also moments when I ask myself whether my dad could have more clearly articulated how he wanted his life to end. We'd known the diagnosis for some time, and by March, my dad had accepted that no cure would come. Soon after, he began to distance himself from family, without quite grasping our need for closure. Weeks have passed. And my dad still has an opportunity, posthumously, to steer his own fate. Dad had left instructions to cremate his body and scatter the ashes at a favorite backpacking site in the Sierra. This time, my mother, sister and I intend to honor his request. Well, OK, we have one caveat. We're asking for a final concession from him: to keep some of his remains at home. We just need a little more time. Rachel Swan is a Chronicle staff writer.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Acclaimed SF eatery One Market Restaurant closing after 32 years
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Acclaimed long-running San Francisco eatery One Market Restaurant will close next month after 32 years at the foot of Market Street. The restaurant, which first opened in 1993, will serve its last meal on Wednesday, June 11. Founded by chef Bradley Ogden and restaurateur Michael Dellar, One Market held a Michelin Star from 2008 to 2012. The year it opened, it was named the San Francisco Examiner's 'Best New Restaurant of 1993.' Additional accolades include two 3 1/2-star reviews from former San Francisco Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer, and recognition in the 'Top 10 American Restaurants in the U.S.' by Gayot Guide. Bay to Breakers photos capture outrageous costumes from this year's race 'What a run it's been!' read a letter from the restaurant to guests. 'After 32 years anchoring the foot of Market Street in San Francisco, One Market Restaurant will be reaching retirement on June 11, 2025. Until then, it's lunch, dinner, all-day happy hour, and private events Monday through Friday.' Among the reasons cited for the closure were a hoped-for sale to the restaurant's management team, the pending retirement of founder Michael Dellar, and 'the after-effects of COVID-19.' The decision, according to the restaurant team, was 'inevitable and bittersweet.' 'We may be moving on, but we truly are leaving our hearts in San Francisco,' the letter from the restaurant team concluded. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
San Francisco Chronicle
18-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bay to Breakers 2025: These maps show race route, street closures and transit impacts
Thousands of runners will crowd San Francisco streets in creative costumes Sunday for the Bay to Breakers race, wreaking havoc on traffic and public transportation as participants parade from the Embarcadero to Ocean Beach. Runners reveling in the party-like atmosphere will depart at 8 a.m. Sunday from the downtown starting line at Howard and Main streets. The westward route cuts through SoMa, Hayes Valley and Haight-Ashbury before cruising through Golden Gate Park and ending at the coast with a view of crashing ocean waves. Meanwhile, the 12-kilometer race will prompt street closures, bus reroutes and other service impacts that could snarl traffic and hinder anyone attempting to navigate San Francisco this weekend. Bay Area public transit agencies, including Muni, BART and Caltrain, plan to provide extra service to help people get to, from and around the race. Here's everything to know — for those trying to reach the race or avoid it altogether — about road closures and public transit service changes happening this weekend. Getting to the race on public transportation Four special BART trains running Sunday morning will drop riders off at Embarcadero Station about an hour ahead of the race, according to the agency. People can board the limited-service trains at 16th Street Mission, Bay Fair, Daly City, El Cerrito del Norte, Dublin/Pleasanton, MacArthur, Millbrae, Pleasant Hill/City Center and West Oakland. BART parking is free on Sundays. Caltrain is also offering two pre-race trains that will deliver South Bay residents to downtown San Francisco ahead of the race. From the Caltrain station in San Francisco, people can either hop on the N-Judah train or walk 1.4 miles to the race start line. The agency recommends that people purchase tickets ahead of time, expect large crowds and arrive 20 minutes before their departure time. Muni will add service to and from the race on several bus routes, including the 5X, 5R, 28, N-Judah and S-Shuttle, which runs from West Portal to Embarcadero. The Market Street subway will open at 6 a.m. Sunday for early service. Muni will also open the West Portal, Forest Hill, Castro, Church, Van Ness and Embarcadero stations at 6 a.m. Sunday. The Civic Center, Powell and Montgomery stations, meanwhile, will open at 7:40 a.m. for normal weekend service starting at 8 a.m. Other public transportation service changes Muni encourages people not participating in the race to avoid impacted areas Sunday morning due to major reroutes and delays in train and bus service. Routes that cross the race course will be split into two sections, with no service between them, according to Muni. Those bus routes include the 14, 14R, 19, 22, 24, 27, 33 and 43 lines. People can disembark from one section, walk across the race and catch the bus on the other side. The 30 and 45 buses will not serve the South of Market neighborhood, and the 49 bus will not serve areas south of Van Ness Avenue and McAllister Street or anywhere north of Van Ness Avenue and Market Street. Some bus routes on Market and Mission streets, including the 6, 7, 9, 14, 49 and KLM Owls, will end at Market, 10th or 11th streets, according to Muni. Bus riders can cross Golden Gate Park on the 18, 28, 29 or 44 routes, although they should expect delays due to 'heavy ridership and traffic.' Muni also warned that routes operating parallel to the course, including the N-Judah train and 5, 28, 29 and 31 buses, will probably experience crowding and delays. Street closures Some roads located near the start and finish lines will be closed Saturday night: Howard Street between Embarcadero and Beale Street closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday Steuart Street south of Mission Street closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday Spear Street between Mission and Folsom streets closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday Main Street between Mission and Folsom streets closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 5 p.m. Sunday La Playa Street between Cabrillo and Fulton streets closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday Westbound Fulton Street between the Great Highway and 46th Avenue closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday Eastbound Fulton Street between the Great Highway and 48th Avenue closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday Lincoln Way between the Great Highway and La Playa Street closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday The Great Highway between Sloat Boulevard and John F. Kennedy Drive closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday More roads located along the race route will close starting early Sunday:
San Francisco Chronicle
18-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bay to Breakers 2025 off and running with thousands on S.F. streets
Thousands of competitors hit San Francisco's streets Sunday morning for the 112th running of Bay to Breakers, a world-famous footrace known as much for its colorful costumes as its competitive sprinters. Runners assembled early at Howard and Main streets, with the first wave of the race beginning shortly after 8 a.m. and the last wave at 8:45 a.m. Competitors were assigned 10 starting corrals based on their estimated finish times provided during registration. The course closes at 12:30 p.m. and the finish line at 1 p.m. Organizers expected more than 20,000 registered participants this year, though the race usually attracts thousands of unregistered runners. The 12-kilometer (7.4-mile) run stretches from the bay at the Embarcadero to the breakers at Ocean Beach, just beyond the Great Highway. Runners pass through some of the city's most scenic neighborhoods along the way, including the Financial District, Hayes Valley and the Haight-Ashbury, winding up in Golden Gate Park for the final leg. The race also included a 15K option, with an additional 1.8 miles along the Great Highway. Sunday's race marked Mike Domingo's 50th time across the finish line, a milestone and feat for the 68-year-old Redwood City resident, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer in 2021. The diagnosis came with an estimation that he had 30 months to live, but Domingo, who once took the race seriously as a college track runner and later turned the event into a party, decided not to let cancer 'stand in the way of life,' said his wife, Christine Domingo. Mike Domingo said he hopes to inspire others. 'Anything can be done if you put your mind to it,' he said ahead of the race. His wife, mother and several friends walked the course with him, wearing shirts commemorating the milestone. 'I survived!' the shirts read in part. Street closures started at 7 p.m. Saturday in preparation for the race, with many not reopening until 5 p.m. Sunday. Travelers were urged to plan their routes in advance or adjust their plans while streets were closed. The race route cuts San Francisco in half, leaving only two north/south crossing points for buses and cars, at Crossover Drive and the Embarcadero. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency recommended travelers stay on one side of the route if possible, but those who need to get across could use an underground train such as the Muni Metro subway or BART, or take a bus as close to the route as possible, cross the route on foot, and pick the bus up again on the other side. Participants, who run solo or in groups, often spend weeks concocting their costumes, often modeled on superheroes, newsmakers, historical figures or cartoon characters. Some runners choose to forgo costumes or any other form of clothing beyond shoes and socks, on their feet or elsewhere. The race has featured a centipede division since 1978, with 13- to 15-member teams running the full course joined by a bungee cord or similar connection. Unofficial traditions include spectators tossing tortillas into the crowd at the start of Bay to Breakers and participants in salmon suits 'swimming upstream,' running the race in reverse. The oldest consecutively run annual footrace in the world, the Breakers began in 1912 in an effort to lift the spirits of San Franciscans still reeling from the 1906 earthquake and fire. Since then, it has paused only in 2020 and 2021 as a pandemic precaution.
CBS News
17-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Bay to Breakers runners will soon be on San Francisco streets. Here are the road closures
Thousands of people will be hitting the streets of San Francisco for the annual Bay to Breakers race on Sunday. The first wave of runners leaves at 8 a.m., and the last wave will leave at 8:45 a.m. from Main and Howard streets. Bay to Breakers' finish line is at 1000 Great Highway and will close at 1 p.m. However, the course will close at 12:30 p.m. at the intersection of JFK and Chain of Lakes Golden Gate Park, and anyone who has not crossed the intersection by then will not get a chance to cross the finish line. Although the race begins on Sunday, some street closures will begin on Saturday. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said that beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday the following roads will be closed until 11 a.m. Sunday for the starting line area. Main between Mission and Folsom Howard between Embarcadero and Beale Steuart southeast of Mission Spear between Mission and Folsom For the race route, the following streets will be closed. Closed from Sunday 3 a.m. to 11 a.m. Beale between Mission and Folsom Fremont between Mission and Folsom First St. between Market and Folsom (Muni allowed from Market to Mission) Second St. between Mission and Folsom New Montgomery between Mission and Howard Howard between Beale and Third St Intersection closures at Howard: Beale, Fremont, First, Second, New Montgomery Closed from Sunday 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. Mission between Fremont and Steuart (Muni allowed) Beale between Market and Mission Spear between Market and Mission Market between Drumm and Steuart Closed from Sunday 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Howard between Third and Ninth streets Ninth St. between Howard and Market Closed 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Hayes between Market and Divisadero Closed 5 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Steiner between Grove and Hayes Scott between Grove and Hayes Closed 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Divisadero between Grove and Oak Closed 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fell between Divisadero and Stanyan Closed 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Baker between Oak and Fell Closed 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cabrillo between 46th Ave. & La Playa Balboa between 46th Ave. & Great Highway Point Lobos between 48th Ave. & Great Highway The following streets will be closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday for the finish line and festival area. La Playa between Cabrillo and Fulton between Cabrillo and Fulton Fulton, westbound, between Great Highway and 46th Fulton, eastbound, between Great Highway and 48th Lincoln Way between Great Highway and La Playa Intersection closures at Lincoln Way: Lower Great Highway, La Playa The Great Highway between Sloat and JFK and multiple Golden Gate Park entrances will be closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday. SFMTA has a list of Muni service changes on their Bay to Breakers page.
