The Death & Life of John Shields

Two days before he was scheduled to die, John Shields roused in his hospice bed with an unusual idea. He wanted to organize an Irish wake for himself. It would be old-fashioned with music and booze, except for one notable detail — he would be present.

“Someone once asked me how did I get to become unique,” Shields said that afternoon in his hospice bed. “I recommend meditation as a starting place — bringing your consciousness to bear.”

From “The Death and Life of John Shields” by Catherine Porter for the New York Times; Photo by Leslye Davis