“I’ve had eighteen straight whiskies. I think that’s the record!”
Just days before his death, Dylan Thomas a heavy drinker boasted about a drinking binge he’d been on at the White Horse tavern in New York. Following this, the 39 year old poet and writer became severely ill with a chest illness and slipped into a coma. He was taken to hospital but died days later – the official cause of death was pneumonia.
“I think I’ll be more comfortable.”
According to some reports, these were the last words of the comedian and actor – asking a nurse to change his position in bed, just before suffering a fatal heart attack. Lou Costello died in Doctors Hospital Beverly Hills, he was aged 52.
“Leave me alone, I’m fine”
These were Barry White’s dying words, stoically spoken to a nurse in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. The iconic singer and songwriter died from kidney failure at the age of 58.
“Is it not meningitis?”
These were reportedly the last words of the novelist and poet, most well known for writing Little Women, who wrongly believed she was ill with meningitis.
Louisa May Alcott was 55 years of age when she suffered a stroke and lost consciousness, she remained in this state until her death three days later.
“Fuck you”
Tupac Shakur was shot four times in a drive by shooting in Paradise Nevada. Mortally wounded, this was his reply when a police officer asked him ‘Who shot you?’
The legendary rapper was taken to hospital and put on life support, but died of internal bleeding from his gunshot wounds. He was aged 25.
“I can’t sleep”
These were the dying words of the novelist and playwright, who is best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. James Matthew Barrie died of pneumonia at a nursing home in London, he was 77 years old.
“Answered Prayers”
These were Truman Capote’s last words before he died, spoken to a close friend, and referred to the title of his unfinished novel. The author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s was aged 59 when he passed away from liver disease complicated by multiple drug intoxication.
“Death can really absorb a person. Like most people, I would find it pleasant not to have to go, but you just accept that it’s more or less inevitable.”
The comedian and actor wrote this speech for his own memorial service and it was read at the funeral by other members of Monty Python. Graham Chapman was 48 years old when he died in hospital of complications resulting from terminal cancer.
“The kids can’t take it if we don’t give it!”.
Babe Ruth reportedly spoke these deathbed words to a priest who gave him the last rites as he was dying in hospital. The baseball legend died in his sleep from cancer, he was 53 years of age.
“What dost thou fear? Strike, man, strike!”
One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, these were his last words to the executioner who hesitated before delivering the fatal axe blow. Walter Raleigh was beheaded on the orders of Britain’s King James, following an attack by Raleigh’s men on a Spanish outpost, violating a peace treaty between the two countries.
