A man suffering from a non-terminal chronic disease became the first Colombian person to die by legally regulated euthanasia.

Victor Escobar, 60, decided to go through with his death on Friday after suffering from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for multiple years. He has also been fighting for two years for his right to euthanasia after many doctors, clinics and courts have tried to not allow it.

"We reached the goal for patients like me, who aren't terminal but degenerative, to win this battle, a battle that opens the doors for the other patients who come after me and who right now want a dignified death," Escobar said in a video message sent to media by his lawyer.

Escobar had been sick since 2008 when two strokes caused him to lose movement in half of his body. This led to him developing the chronic disease along with hypertension, diabetes, severe arthrosis and costochondral junction syndrome. He said that morphine was not helping his pain anymore and other medications lost their original effects.

In July, the government ruled to allow the use of euthanasia to induce death if a person is suffering from intense physical or psychological pain from an incurable disease. The person also does not have to be close to dying to qualify. Previously, Colombia allowed people to go through with the process only if they were six months out from dying.

Escobar was the first person since the ruling to go through with the process. In an interview with the Associated Press, he said the scheduling of his euthanasia process had brought him “immense tranquility” and that he did not feel any fear of going through with his decision.

“I feel an immense tranquility. I don't feel fear of what is to come. They have told me that the process is going to be a slow sedation at first so that I have time to say goodbye,” Escobar was quoted as saying.

“After that is the injection of the euthanasia, which is going to be something without pain — a very tranquil death. I trust in God that all this will be that way."