Paul Brophy (April 27, 1937 – October 23, 1986) was a firefighter in Massachusetts who entered a persistent vegetative state with no believed chance of recovery.
Opposing viewpoints between his family and his doctors on how to deal with his condition sparked an early legal case on the right to die.
On March 22, 1983, Paul Brophy sustained a basilar artery aneurysm rupture with very destructive neurologic consequences.
As he was unable to chew or swallow, a gastric feeding tube was eventually inserted into him to allow for nutrition and hydration.
However, when the case went on further to the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, transfer of Brophy to another hospital facility that was agreeable to removal of the gastrostomy tube was authorized.