“Pam, are you still there?”
These were Jim Morrison’s last words according to his longtime girlfriend Pamela Courson. The 27 year old singer-songwriter, lead vocalist of rock band the Doors, was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment. The official cause of death was listed as heart failure, although no autopsy was performed as it was not required by French law.
“But the peasants.. how do the peasants die?”
According to some sources, the author and moral philosopher spent the last hours of his life preaching love, non-violence, and Georgism to fellow passengers on his train; and asked this final question of a station master in whose home he died. Leo Tolstoy passed away at the age of 82 from pneumonia at Astapovo railway station Russia.
“Bob, I don’t feel so good. I think I’m OD’ing.”
These were River Phoenix’ last words to musician and friend Bob Forrest inside The Viper Room a nightclub in West Hollywood. The actor and musician passed away at the age of 23 from acute multiple drug intoxication, specifically a lethal combination of cocaine and heroin, which led to a fatal drug overdose.
“I’m going to be with Gloria now.”
The actor and military aviator spoke these final words to his children as he lay on his deathbed, referring to late wife Gloria who passed away three years before. James Stewart died of a heart attack at 89 years of age in his Beverly Hills home surrounded by family.
“Don’t cry for me. I’m going to be with your father now.”
Jackie Onassis delivered these last words to her children Caroline and John, referring to former husband President Kennedy. The one-time first lady of the United States passed away aged 64 at home in New York City, she had been suffering from a terminal cancer of the blood.
“Thank you.”
The flamboyant singer and songwriter, lead vocalist for rock band Queen, thanked his close friend Peter Freestone before slipping into a coma and dying shortly after. Freddie Mercury was 45 years old when he died at home in Kensington London, the cause of death was bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.
“Ow, fuck!”
With family at his bedside, a nurse administered a morphine injection – the prick of the needle startled Roald Dahl and these were his actual last words. The popular children’s author passed away at the age of 74 in John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford from a rare cancer of the blood.
“It matters not, man; God hath many things in store for us. And I know many means to do her Majesty good service and to make us rich..”
A hero to some, a pirate to others, this is reportedly a rallying speech he delivered shortly before dying from dysentery aboard his ship off the coast of Portobelo, Panama. Before his demise, Francis Drake asked to be dressed in full body armour, and was buried at sea in a lead-lined coffin a few miles off the coastline, he was 56 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.
“What is this thing I’m feeling, I’m going to sleep now.”
The martial artist and actor spoke these final words to colleague Betty Ting before taking a painkiller and lying down for a nap. Bruce Lee never awoke from the nap – an autopsy would later conclude that he died from cerebral edema due to a reaction to compounds present in the painkiller. On the discovery of his unresponsive body Lee was brought to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kowloon Hong Kong but declared dead on arrival at the age of 32.
