he was allegedly instructed by voices to eat a steel needle which was to be surgically removed. he did so on may 11, 1948. it was surgically removed on may 13, 1948. during recovery in the hospital he requested a lot of water for recovery which was only granted if he took full responsibility. to demonstrate his health he walked through zurich directly after being released. ten days later, when de groot picked up his wife from the airport, dajo lay down on a bed and went into a trance-like state. on arrival de groot's wife was not comfortable with someone lying down as if dead, and asked de groot to check his health. on the third day de groot's wife asked him to check again. this time his neck felt cold. the medical examiner announced he had been dead for a day. the autopsy revealed dajo had died of an aortic rupture, though this was contested by de groot and the aforementioned surgeon.