“We had fun, didn’t we?”
During a final private visit at Newman’s home in Connecticut, Paul Newman looked at his best friend and co-star Robert Redford and spoke these poignant last words. The actor, filmmaker and race-car driver died from lung cancer at his home in Westport Connecticut, and his remains were cremated after a private funeral service. He was 83 years of age.
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room in heaven.”
Muhammad Ali did not have any final spoken words because he was unable to talk in the days leading up to his passing, but his gravestone bears this famous maxim on humanitarianism attributed to him.
The professional boxer and activist, a global cultural icon, was hospitalised in Scottsdale Arizona with a respiratory illness. Ali’s condition worsened and he died the next day at the age of 74 from septic shock.
“I often say next year I’ll slow down, but I keep being asked to do shows in great places and I love what I do.”
The singer and music icon reflected on her career and enduring passion for performing in a poignant final televised interview before her death at the age of 75. Bonnie Tyler underwent emergency surgery for a perforated intestine at a hospital near her home in Portugal, and passed away two months later from complications resulting from the illness.
“The readiness is all”
There are no recorded or documented last words spoken by Alec Guinness before his death, but this is the epitaph on his gravestone, a famous line from William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. The stage and screen actor, best known for his role as Obi Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars movies, died from cancer in King Edward VII’s Hospital in Midhurst England, he was 86 years old.
“No courthouses, but okay, let’s go.”
Marvin Lee Aday, better known by the stage name Meat Loaf, spoke these last words during the final days of his life to daughter Amanda. She had told him to “get strong” so he could walk her down the aisle on her wedding day. The singer and actor passed away at home in Nashville Tennessee at the age of 74, no official cause of death was released but he had reportedly been ill with COVID-19.
“I don’t age. I level up.”
The martial artist and actor posted this humorous birthday message on Instagram just nine days before passing away at the age of 86. Chuck Norris was hospitalized in Hawaii after experiencing a sudden medical emergency and shortly afterwards died peacefully surrounded by his family.
“There will be another great player for Brazil.”
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known by the nickname Pelé, spoke these last words on his sick bed before his demise at the age of 82.
Regarded by many as the greatest soccer player ever, he passed away at the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital in São Paulo. The cause of death was due to multiple organ failure, a complication resulting from his battle with colon cancer.
“Kiss me… hug me tight.”
The pioneer of heavy metal music and lead vocalist for the band Black Sabbath said these final words to wife Sharon on his deathbed. John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne died from a heart attack at his home in Buckinghamshire with family by his side, he was 76 years old.
“It’s time.”
These were the poignant last words of the iconic Country musician, who passed away from diabetes complications while hospitalized at the Baptist Hospital in Nashville Tennessee. Johnny Cash was 71 and his death came less than four months after wife June’s.
“Sleep is all I want now”
Widely regarded as the greatest movie actor of all time, Marlon Brando whispered these final words on his deathbed. Aged 80 he died from respiratory failure at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family.
