When a 49-year-old quadriplegic man decides to end his life, a psychedelic ceremony and unexpected romance force him to question everything he thought he knew.
Everything changed when Jason Eftink broke his neck and nearly drowned in a skiing accident at 19.
Doctors gave him 10 years. He gave 30. Carving out a full life in the Missouri heartland, chronic pain and physical decline drove him to choose to die on his own terms.
As he marched toward the end, family gathered for final meals and friends said their goodbyes when something unexpected happened. On his 50th birthday, a psilocybin journey, coupled with an unexpected love, showed Jason that accepting death could be the key to truly living.
Act 1: Deciding to Die
We open cold with Jason speaking directly to his webcam. He tries to explain to "whoever is watching" that he has decided to end his life. Though it seems he's trying to convince himself more than anything.
50 days left. The countdown begins.
We cut to home VHS footage of young Jason, an all-American midwestern boy, full of life. "He was born running," his mom Sherry says. Pictures show him waterskiing and playing football.
Through verité observational scenes, intimate conversations and video diaries, we learn about the accident that left him quadriplegic at 19, his defiance of a 10-year prognosis, and his successful tech career.
We meet Debbie, a death doula from Psanctuary, a psilocybin church where Jason “stumbled over spirituality”. She guides Jason and his closest family members as they prepare for the unglamorous VSED (Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking) process.
His young caregiver, Jonathan, provides a window into Jason's daily life and the constant physical challenges, care, and support that have led to this decision.
Meanwhile, Sherry struggles to accept her son's choice while trying to make the most of their remaining time together.
As Jason methodically plans his exit, attending his final church services, and sorting through the decades of responsibilities, an unexpected connection begins to form through the church's virtual book club.
Act 2: Preparing to Die
20 days left.
The sun shines down and we witness Jason's daily rhythms take on new meaning. His morning meditations, each bite of food, every labored breath becomes weighted with the knowledge of their finitude. He posits that his lunch salad may be his last. The camera holds static as he moves through his routines - managing pain, receiving care, soaking in ordinary moments that are now starkly poignant.
Daily video diaries reveal increasing complexity in Jason's emotions. Some days he's resolute, others filled with doubt. During a particularly raw entry, he confesses feeling both terror and peace about his decision.
The VSED timeline looms as Jason navigates difficult conversations. His mother Sherry oscillates between anger and acceptance, while his caregiver Jonathan maintains a brave face while privately struggling with the impending loss of his friend and mentor.
Through his church's virtual book club, Jason's friendship with Amber begins to shift into something neither of them asked for or expected. As he prepares for death, they find themselves learning to grow a relationship while simultaneously preparing to let it go. Their conversations about mortality and meaning take on layers neither anticipated.
With just days remaining before his scheduled start date, Jason prepares for one final ceremony - a psilocybin journey on his 50th birthday. The countdown reaches single digits as the people closest to him gather, none knowing how profoundly this experience will alter their planned goodbye.