Mark Fleischman, the owner of the legendary Manhattan night club Studio 54, died by assisted suicide in Switzerland at age 82.
Fleischman fell ill beginning in 2016, and remained undiagnosed by doctors, according to the New York Post. During an interview in June, he revealed the depths of his struggle.
“I can’t walk, my speech is f–ked up, and I can’t do anything for myself,” Fleischman told the New York Post at the time. By then, his decision had been made. “My wife helps me get into bed and I can’t dress or put on my shoes. I am taking a gentle way out. It is the easiest way out for me.”
Studio 54 club owner Mark Fleischman dies by assisted suicide in Switzerland https://t.co/8du06HG4qw pic.twitter.com/Kw1Od2HOkE
— New York Post (@nypost) July 14, 2022
Fleischman’s world-famous club was known for attracting a celebrity guest list, and carried the wild reputation of hosting events that pushed the envelope when it came to sex, drugs and overindulgence, according to High Humans. Fleischman believed that his partying and lifestyle may have contributed to the illness that plagued him during the last years of his life.
“I liked to be high. So I would do drugs and drink. Possibly, this [health condition] is because I drank a lot and did drugs,” he said to the New York Post. (RELATED: Doctors Sue California Over Amendments To Physician Assisted Suicide Law)
Fleischman’s successful nightclub meant he was often in good company at his parties. His social network included Andy Warhol, Calvin Klein, Cher, and Liza Manelli, among numerous other big names and famous faces, according to the New York Post.
Fleischman was at peace with his decision to end his life on his own terms. “The more I think about it, the more I want to do it,” he said. “I am flying direct to Zurich from LA. There will be no last party.”