Beloved JW Aunt
The 1977 Death of a Favorite Aunt
This account comes from a former Jehovah’s Witness who disassociated himself over 25 years ago, spurred in part by the organization’s stance on blood and its shifting prophetic interpretations. While he has moved on from the organization, the scars of its policies remain etched in his family history.
A Needless Tragedy in Atlanta
In November 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, a beloved woman—a sister, a mother of four adult children, and a wife—lost her life due to a medical crisis that her doctors believed was entirely treatable. She had been hospitalized for bleeding stomach ulcers, a condition that required blood transfusions to stabilize.
Her physician was clear: without the transfusions, she would not survive. Her loving husband, who was not a Jehovah’s Witness but had always been tolerant of her faith, pleaded with her to accept the life-saving treatment for the sake of their family and their four children.
The Weight of Family Influence
The pressure to remain “faithful” to Watchtower policy was immense. She was encouraged and supported in her refusal by her JW relatives, most notably her two older brothers.
There was also a powerful family precedent at play. A decade earlier, in the 1960s, her own brother (the contributor’s father) had faced two near-death experiences over the same issue. He had managed to survive against the odds without blood. It is believed that his unlikely survival emboldened his sister, giving her a tragic, false sense of security that she might also survive the unsurvivable.
The Aftermath
She died within a week of entering the hospital.
Her doctor was reportedly appalled by the outcome, viewing it as a senseless waste of human life. For the family left behind, the “victory” of her faith was overshadowed by the reality of a mother and aunt gone far too soon.
Today, her nephew shares this story not out of malice, but as a witness to the real-world consequences of dogma over medical necessity. He remains shunned by his remaining JW relatives—not for “sins,” but for the simple act of using reason and evidence to question the policies that claimed his aunt’s life.
Many thousands of lives have been needlessly lost for the misinterpretations of the Holy Scriptures regarding the saving of human lives with blood. The Watchtower has flip-floped in their stance regarding blood use, based on THEIR “interpretation” of Gods Will. They seem to be very sincere, but they are sincerely Wrong. I left the wt 15 years ago at 60 years of age. After 42 years of imprisonment to the Watchtower Organization. I am joyful to have found Jesus, and His Love. Those people that lost their earthly lives because of the evil teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, will be raised by Christ and given the opportunity to live with Him, and all others calling on His name in their Faith!