Iván L. Nagy

In 2023, it took a single man’s bravery to unite my broken home country. Battling ALS, Dániel Karsai decided not to bow his head to the suffering, and took Hungary to the European Court of Human Rights to fight for the right to die.

But by coming out to the public and showing the crude reality incurable illness, he’s achieved something much greater. He reminded a whole nation that despite our disagreements, we all want to live happily, die peacefully, and give back to our community in-between. And for a brief moment, it was enough to bring everyone together and debate the questions that actually matter.

This is Dániel’s story — a story about life, death, growth and love. This is also the story of the incredible people who surrounded him and whom I’ve got to meet over the past year. In many ways, this is a story about Hungary, but with lessons that reach far beyond its borders.