Famous people's final words should be, well, famous. But since most people don't know which words will be their last, those final utterances can be revealing, touching or just plain odd. We've rounded up the reported last words of some memorable people, including Steve Jobs, Bob Marley, Princess Diana and George Washington.
The winner of multiple Grammy Awards, Prince was one of the best-selling artists of all time with countless hits including "Purple Rain," "When Doves Cry" and "Kiss." The music superstar died of an opioid overdose at the age of 57 on April 21, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. See the next slide for his final words.
"Wait a few days before you waste your prayers on me"
In his last public appearance, the star addressed the crowd, with an eerily prescient sentiment, saying, "Wait a few days before you waste your prayers on me."
David Bowie's illustrious career which included the success of his single "Starman" and album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars," which won him widespread popularity, was known for his visual presentation, reinvention and stagecraft that influenced popular music and fashion. The legendary British singer-songwriter died on Jan. 10, 2016 — just two days after he rang in his 69th birthday on Jan. 8. A statement released by the artist's family members read: "David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer." See the next slide for his final words.
"(Music) has been my doorway of perception and the house that I live in"
The late musician's longtime friend, Gary Oldman shared intimate memories and his conversation at Bowie's deathbed while receiving an award at the Brit Awards in February 2016, including the singer's last words: "Music has given me over 40 years of extraordinary experiences. I can’t say that life’s pains or more tragic episodes have been diminished because of it, but it has allowed me so many moments of companionship when I have been lonely and sublime means of communications when I have wanted to touch people. It has been my doorway of perception and the house that I live in."
One of Hollywood's most popular actors of the 1940s and 50s, Humphrey Bogart appeared in more than 75 feature films including "Casablanca" and "The African Queen" for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He died at the 57 on Jan. 14, 1957 reportedly because of throat cancer. See the next slide to read his famous last word.
"I should never have switched from scotch to martinis."
This was the parting line which the actor reportedly said just before dying from cancer of the esophagus. However, this is refuted and other reports also allege that his actual last words were, "Goodbye, kid. Hurry back," to his wife, Lauren Bacall, who left his side for a short while to go pick up their kids from school.
The world famous economist and a revolutionary socialist, Karl Marx published various works with the most well-known being the 1848 political pamphlet The Communist Manifesto that presented an analytical approach to the class struggle in the society. Ha passed away at the age 64 reportedly because of bronchitis on March 14, 1883. See the next slide to read his famous last word.
"Last words are for fools who haven't said enough."
He reportedly said this to his housekeeper upon being asked if he wanted any last words to be recorded.
Winston Churchill served as Britain's prime minister during World War II. He is considered one of history's greatest wartime leaders, having riled up his war-torn nation with such quotes as, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." He was also a lauded writer who was awarded a Nobel Prize for Literature. Churchill died of a stroke on Jan. 24, 1965, at age 90. See the next slide to read his famous last word.
"I'm bored with it all."
Considered one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century, Winston Churchill reportedly said "I'm bored with it all" just before slipping into a coma. He died nine days later.
Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs revolutionised the world of personal computers with the evolution of the Macintosh and later developed the iPod, iPhone and iPad. Jobs had pancreatic cancer and died at the age of 56 on Oct. 5, 2011. See the next slide for his famous last words.
"Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow."
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who had once described death as "very likely the single best invention of life", departed from the world with this sense of wonder, saying "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow." His last words were revealed by his sister Mona Simpson as part of the eulogy she delivered at his memorial service. No one knows what was it that had Jobs so entranced, but his sister says he took time to linger on the faces of his family and partner before the exultation.
The founder of Al-Qaida — the organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States — Osama bin Laden was on the FBI's most-wanted list with a mega-million bounty before he was shot and killed in a US covert operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan, at the age of 54. See the next slide for his last words.
"Don't turn on the light"
The whole world wondered at Osama bin Laden's last words. They were revealed during the debriefing of his youngest wife Amal by the Pakistan government. It is believed that the Al-Qaida leader was with her in his last hours, and his final words were "Don't turn on the light".
Saddam Hussein was the iron-fisted dictator of Iraq for more than two decades. His regime was overthrown by US military forces and he was captured in 2003. He was later put on trial for crimes against humanity. See the next slide for his final words
"I swear there is no God but Allah and Muhammad ...."
Sentenced to death by hanging in 2006, Iraq's much-maligned dictator Saddam Hussein died at the age of 69 and his final words were part of a prayer: "I swear there is no God but Allah and Muhammad ...." However, he could not complete the invocation. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, the former US National Security Advisor, oversaw his execution and said Saddam was calm until the end, voiced no regret and asked for no forgiveness.
"Lady Di" was the stylish first wife of Britain's Prince Charles. As the Princess of Wales, she was also known for her humanitarian work. Always in the public eye, Diana was hounded by paparazzi before and after her split from Prince Charles. She was 36 years old when she died in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997. See the next slide for her final words.
"My God, what's happened?"
Trapped in her car after a high-speed chase trying to evade paparazzi ended in a crash, the Princess was reeling in shock after realising the horror of the accident she'd been in. Her last conscious words -
"My God, what's happened?" - were to the paramedic Xavier Gourmelon.
"Joltin' Joe" Joe DiMaggio was considered one of the greatest baseball players ever, thanks in part to his longest consecutive hitting streak record. The center fielder played for the Yankees and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955. He was 84 years old when he died of lung cancer on March 8, 1999. See the next slide for his touching last words.
"I finally get to see Marilyn"
Joe DiMaggio's lawyer, Morris Engelberg was the one who revealed his final words - "I finally get to see Marilyn" - saying that even moments before his death, the Yankee great was pining for his one true love - Marilyn Monroe. Joe was married to Marilyn Monroe for all of nine months way back in 1954, but the legend goes that he never stopped loving her. After her death/suicide, Joe would get so depressed that his associates would have to scout for restaurants that didn't have Monroe's pictures on their walls.
Notorious Chicago crime boss Al Capone committed numerous crimes, including smuggling liquor during Prohibition. The St. Valentine's Day Massacre made him Public Enemy No. 1. Capone died of pneumonia at the age of 48 on Jan. 25, 1947. Se the next slide to read his infamous last words.
“You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can get with a kind word alone.”
There is absolutely no proof to suggest that these were the dreaded gangster's last words, specially considering by the time he died, his body was racked with syphilis, pneumonia, a stroke and a cardiac arrest. Moreover, a few months before his death, his psychiatrist concluded that Capone's illnesses had left him the mental capability of a 12-year-old child. However, the legend of the man's life lives on and so does the belief that his last words were “You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can get with a kind word alone.”
Marilyn Monroe became a major sex symbol and Hollywood movie icon with such films as "The Seven Year Itch" and "Some Like It Hot." Before she died, she reportedly spoke to fellow actor Peter Lawford on the phone. She had been having substance abuse problems and was found dead in her home by her psychiatrist on Aug. 5, 1962. She was 36. See the next slide for her final words.
"Say goodbye to Pat, say goodbye to the president, and say goodbye to yourself, because you're a nice guy."
The mysteries and conspiracy theories surrounding Monroe's death have only grown with time. And by most verifiable accounts, no one really knows what were her last words. The oft quoted line "Say goodbye to Pat, say goodbye to the president, and say goodbye to yourself, because you're a nice guy" has been discredited by most sources as Peter Lawford never mentioned these words to the public or press till 1972. By then he had started suffering the effects of alcohol and drug abuse, and Lawford's wife also called him a 'pathological liar', am impression solidified by the fact that Lawford's version of Monroe's last words would keep changing over the years.
Corey Monteith had small roles throughout the 2000s on such TV shows as "Kyle XY" and "Smallville." His star vehicle was the musical hit show "Glee," which cast him as the sentimental male lead, and he found off-screen romance with Lea Michele, his on-screen love interest. The 31-year-old died of a toxic mix of heroin and alcohol on July 13, 2013. Ryan Murphy, the creator of "Glee," shared his final conversation with the star. See the next slide for his final words.
"I want to get better"
Beset by substance abuse since he was 12, Cory had been in and out of rehabs since he was 19. Glee marked the high point of his now blossoming career. Mouthed to Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy, 31-year-old Corey Monteith's last words - "I want to get better" - still haunt Lea Michele.
Hugo Chavez was the president of Venezuela from 1999 until his death at age 58. He put the nation's constitution into place, bonded with Fidel Castro, clashed with George W. Bush and had both ardent supporters and staunch opposition among his compatriots. He died on March 5, 2013. See the next slide for his final words.
"I don't want to die. Please don't let me die."
According to the head of the country's then Presidential Guard General Jose Ornella, just before dying of a massive heart attack, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez inaudibly mouthed his last words: "I don't want to die. Please don't let me die." While he couldn't hear him, Ornella is quite sure this is what Chavez said.
"The King of Rock 'n' Roll" was arguably the most popular singer of his time. Elvis Presley's trademark twist and sultry snarl sent teenagers into a tizzy. He left his mark on Hollywood with a series of semi-cheesy films and in his later years became a Las Vegas must-see. But his prescription drug problems led to deteriorating health and on Aug. 16, 1977, Elvis died at the age of 42. See the next slide for his final words.
"OK, I won't"
Elvis Presley's then fiancé Ginger Alden recounted that the rock legend couldn't sleep and told her that he was going to the bathroom to read. Elvis was heavily abusing prescription drugs at the time and she says she knew 'reading' was a euphemism for popping pills as he walked into the bathroom with three packets of those. She then called out to him, "Don't fall asleep in there". Assured by his response: "OK, I won't", Alden crashed. A few hours later Alden woke up to find Presley dead on the bathroom floor from an overdose.
Outspoken writer Gore Vidal penned dozens of prominent works, including The Best Man and Suddenly Last Summer. Vidal died in Los Angeles on July 31, 2012, at the age of 86. See the next slide for his final words.
"Stop it!"
Gore Vidal's last words were"Stop it!", which he barked at a nurse who had been asking him to do some leg exercises. The nurse, Norberto Nierras, says Vidal was a kind, 'normal sort of a boss' who liked her souffles.
With "No Woman, No Cry" and "Get Up Stand Up," Bob Marley brought reggae music to the masses. He was an ambassador of the Rastafari movement and became an icon for his native Jamaica. He was 36 years old when he died of skin cancer on May 11, 1981. See the next slide for his final words.
"Money can't buy life"
Suffering from cancer, but true to his rastafarian beliefs and refusing western medicine right till the end, reggae icon Bob Marley told his son Ziggy "Money can't buy life" just moments before he died.
John F. Kennedy was 35 when he was elected, making him America's youngest president. He was in office during the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis and major milestones of the Civil Rights Movement. Kennedy was 46 years old when he was riding in a Dallas motorcade and assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald on Nov. 22, 1963. Just before he died, he was responding to Texas first lady Nellie Connally, who reportedly remarked, "You certainly can’t say that the people of Dallas haven't given you a nice welcome, Mr. President." See the next slide for his final words.
"No, you certainly can't."
There is some argument over what exactly did Kennedy say just moments before his death. What is known for sure is that he responded to Mrs Connolly's comment with either "No, you certainly can't" or "That's very obvious." The confusion exists because Jacqueline Kennedy testified on June 5, 1964 that the former is what her husband said -- or "something" to this effect. Some sources have also claimed that just as the bullet struck him, JFK exclaimed "My God, I've been hit." However, that theory was discounted by one of the Secret Service guys who was in the car with the President.
Born Malcolm Little, Malcolm X was an activist, speaker and one of the nation's most influential -- and controversial -- black leaders. As a leader of the Nation of Islam, he pushed for self-reliance among African-Americans, in contrast to the integration sought by other civil rights leaders. He was only 39 when he was assassinated on Feb. 21, 1965. See the next slide for his final words.
"Brothers! Brothers, please! This is a house of peace!"
Even though "Brothers! Brothers, please! This is a house of peace!" are considered Malcolm X's last words by most, there are a few who think he may have said: "Now, now, brothers, break it up, be cool, be calm," or "Let's cool it, brothers," in an attempt to calm down what turned out to be a staged disturbance at Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom. Malcolm X was due to give a speech and as he and his bodyguards tried to get the gathering in order, he was assassinated by three men working in tandem.
Born Karol Józef Wojtyla, Polish native Pope John Paul II rose to the position of supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church in 1978. He passed away in Vatican City on April 2, 2005, at the age of 84. Since his death, many have voiced support in making the influential world leader a saint. See the next slide for his final words.
"Let me go to the house of the Father"
According to the documents released by the Vatican, Karol Józef Wojtyla, or Pope John Paul II's last words - "Let me go to the house of the Father" - were in his native Polish.
This iconic, gifted actor will forever be known as the face of rebellious youth in the 1950s. James Dean's film career was brief but acclaimed, with "East of Eden," "Rebel Without a Cause" and his last film, "Giant," sealing his legacy (watch clips of his films). Dean died on Sept. 30, 1955. See the next slide for his final words.
"That guy's got to stop… He'll see us."
Out for a ride in his beloved Porsche 550 Spyder (which he had nicknamed Little Bastard) with close friend and mechanic Rolf Wütherich, James reportedly said "That guy's got to stop… He'll see us" after Wutherich asked him to slow down. Moments later, Dean died in a head-on collision while Wutherich survived. However, as with any massive crash, Wütherich also maintains that he doesn't remember much of what happened that afternoon, giving rise to an urban legend which claims that James' actual last words were "My fun days are over."
Martin Luther King Jr.
By leading boycotts, marches and other forms of nonviolent civil disobedience, Martin Luther King Jr. became the face of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1963, he gave his now-legendary "I Have a Dream" speech and received a Nobel Peace Prize the following year. King was 39 years old when he was shot by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn. See the next slide for his final words.
"Make sure you play 'Take My Hand, Precious Lord'. Play it real pretty."
Martin Luther King Jr’s last words were to ask musician Ben Branch "Make sure you play 'Take My Hand, Precious Lord'. Play it real pretty." Branch was to perform at an event King was going to attend later in the night. Just minutes later King was shot and never regained consciousness. Incidentally, 'Take My Hand, Precious Lord' was King's favorite song. Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson would often sing it at civil rights rallies and decided to sing it at King's funeral in April 1968. She later revealed that King had once told her that he wanted this song at his funeral.
George Washington led troops in the American Revolution and later became the first president of the United States. His cause of death is still under debate, but he died at age 67 on Dec. 14, 1799. See the next slide for his final words.
"I am just going. Have me decently buried and do not let my body be put into the vault in less than three days after I am dead. Do you understand? 'Tis well."
George Washington was ill and knew he was going to die. He gave his secretary, Tobias Lear, final instructions. "I am just going. Have me decently buried and do not let my body be put into the vault in less than three days after I am dead. Do you understand? 'Tis well." Lear was tongue tied at the thought, prompting Washington to ask if he had understood.
This humble, humanitarian Roman Catholic nun gave aid and hope to the sick, orphaned and dying poor of India for more than 45 years. She was officially beatified in 2003. On Sept. 5, 1997, Mother Teresa died of heart failure at 87 years old. See the next slide for her devote last words.
"Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you."
A Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa said "Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you" before she breathed her last, after battling multiple health issues over a decade.
Psittacus erithacus
This specimen of Psittacus erithacus was the subject of a 30-year scientific experiment conducted by scientist Irene Pepperberg to study the intelligence of parrots. Alex was a winged chatterbox who was 31 when he died of natural causes in September 2007. See the next slide for the bird's final words.
"You be good. See you tomorrow. I love you"
Alex died of natural causes and at the time of his death had a vocabulary of 100 plus words, could categorise shapes, colours and even hold sentient conversations including complex phrases like his final words - "You be good. See you tomorrow. I love you". Alex and “the work revolutionized the way we think of bird brains,” said Diana Reiss, a psychologist at Hunter College.
Babe Ruth staked his reputation on being the historic home-run king of American baseball during the 1920s. He played for the Red Sox, Yankees and, finally, the Braves. George Herman Ruth died of cancer on Aug. 16, 1948, at the age of 53. See the next slide for his final words.
"I'm going over the valley."
George Herman "Babe" Ruth was seriously ill with throat cancer and in the hospital on August 16, 1948. Reportedly, he suddenly began wandering about and a doctor asked him where he was going. "I'm going over the valley," saying this Ruth apparently went back to his bed, went into a coma and died an hour later.
The only female prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi served from 1966-1977 and again from 1980-1984. Gandhi earned approval for The Green Revolution, which targeted her nation's food shortages. But many also viewed her as an authoritarian in the mid-'70s when she ruled by decree. She was assassinated at the age of 66. See the next slide for her final words.
"Greetings to you"
Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own bodyguards on October 31, 1984 in response to Operation Bluestar, a military action that almost destroyed Sikhism's holiest shrine, the Golden Temple at Amritsar. She had greeted her bodyguards with the customary Hindi greeting 'Namaste' which means 'greetings to you', before being gunned down. Ironically, her last speech, delivered just two days past signed off with the following words, "I don't mind if my life goes in the service of the nation. If I die today every drop of my blood will invigorate the nation."
Marvin Gaye was one of Motown's top hit makers. The Hall of Famer had a major impact on popular music in the 1960s and '70s with such hits as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "What's Going On" (watch him perform). See the next slide for his final words.
"I'm going to get my things and get out of this house. Father hates me, and I'm never coming back."
Saying "I'm going to get my things and get out of this house. Father hates me, and I'm never coming back" , Marvin Gaye stepped out of his parents house and was fatally shot by his father, Marvin Gay, Sr. on April 1, 1984 in Los Angeles. He was 44 years old at the time. The shooting followed an altercation with his father after he intervened in an argument between his parents.
John Lennon helped shape the course of rock 'n' roll with the Beatles and went from heartthrob to legendary songwriter to an outspoken anti-war solo artist in his lifetime. He was 40 years old when he was shot in New York City. See the next slide for his final words.
"I'm shot"
Mark Chapman, the man who shot Lennon, met the Beatles' singer just hours before shooting him and asked him to sign an album outside the Dakota building in New York City. As Lennon and Yoko retuned after a stint at the recording studio, Chapman shot Lennon and then calmly walked to the side and flipped open a copy of JD Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye." A bloodied Lennon staggered into the building saying "I'm shot", and that was the last time anyone heard him speak.
Bobby Kennedy served as an adviser and then attorney general to brother John F. Kennedy. He ran for the presidency in 1968, promoting social justice and civil rights. RFJ was only 42 years old when assassinated in Los Angeles on June 6, 1968. See the next slide for his final words.
"Is everyone else all right?"
Bobby Kennedy had just won the primary and there was a celebration in full swing. A Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan shot him multiple times and despite taking a bullet to the head, Kennedy spoke to his wife Ethel Skakel Kennedy asking "Is everyone else all right?" He was rushed to the Good Samaritan Hospital for brain surgery, but died over the course of the day.
Frida Kahlo was an acclaimed Mexican artist, self-proclaimed communist and creator of a unique brand of folk art that included vividly colored self-portraits. She died of respiratory failure at the age of 47 on July 13, 1954. See the next slide for her defiant last words.
"I hope the exit is joyful and I hope never to return."
Beset with medical problems throughout, Frida's life was as explosive as her art. Her early death is often rumoured to be a suicide, compounded by the fact that there was no official autopsy. Her last words - "I hope the exit is joyful and I hope never to return" - were actually a diary entry, spurring the suicide rumors along.
Virginia Woolf was one of the last century's most important authors, feminists and essayists. She wrote the classic "A Room of One's Own," among other celebrated literary works. Woolf was suffered bouts of mental illness throughout her life died in 1941 at age 59. See the next slide for her heartbreaking final words.
“I feel certain that I am going mad again. I feel we can't go through another of those terrible times…”
Author Virginia Woolf committed suicide in March 1941, in the grip of a recurrence of mental illness. A suicide note found on the mantelpiece by her husband on March 28th included the phrase “I feel certain that I am going mad again. I feel we can't go through another of those terrible times…” Her body was found weeks later in the River Ouse, her coat pockets filled with heavy rocks.
Abraham Lincoln was America's Civil War president and the stirring orator behind the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln also wrote the Emancipation Proclamation, which officially freed slaves in the South. On April 15, 1865, while attending a performance at Ford's Theatre, Lincoln was shot dead by actor John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln was 56 years old. See the next slide for his final words.
"She won't think anything about it."
Abraham Lincoln's last words were to his wife. They were watching the play 'Our American Cousin' and his wife Mary was worried what the couple next to them might think of their public display of affection (they were holding hands). She whispered to him, "What will Miss Harris think of my hanging on to you so?" The President replied "She won't think anything about it", laughed at some line in the play and was assasinated moments later.
One of America's most famous writers of the 19th century, Edgar Allen Poe was known for poems and tales steeped in darkness, mystery and death, such as "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart." He was only 40 years old when died on Oct. 7, 1849. What were his apt final words?
"Lord help my poor soul."
Even after all this time, the real cause of Poe's death remains unknown and accounts of his last days are as varying as there are tellers. Consequently, there is no consensus on what were his last words. The most commonly accepted version is "Lord help my poor soul." However, another version says that when asked on his deathbed "Would you like to see your friends?", he replied "Nevermore" and passed away soon after.
Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau was a celebrated NFL linebacker for the Chargers, the Dolphins and the Patriots. After his death, brain specialists concluded he suffered from chronic brain damage, a condition frequently seen in NFL players. He was only 43 years old when he died on May 2, 2012. See the next slide for his tragic final words.
"I love you"
Junior Seau's last words before he shot himself in the chest were actually a text message, telling his children "I love you". His former wife Gina Seau said the sportstar sent her and their three children separate text messages affirming his affection for them. While there was no suicide note, friends say Junior had been dealing with a financial crisis, deep depression and was clueless about the degenerative brain disease he had.
Barry White was a Grammy-winning R&B artist whose soulful baritone crooned such '70s hits as "Can't Get Enough of Your Love," "Babe and You're the First, the Last, My Everything." His final years were plagued by health concerns and he died of kidney failure on July 4, 2003, at the age of 58. See the next line for his final words.
"Leave me alone, I'm fine"
The last words spoken by the soul legend Barry White, were to his nurse. Battling renal cancer and a stroke, White was struggling to recover and gain enough strength to undergo a kidney transplant when he said "Leave me alone, I'm fine".
Ray Bradbury wrote such acclaimed works as "Fahrenheit 451" and "Something Wicked This Way Comes," and hosted his own sci-fi TV series. He received a National Medal of Arts in 2004 and has an asteroid named in his honor. Bradbury was 91 when he passed away on June 5, 2012. See the next slide for his final words.
'Day, after day, after glorious day, I was falling in love with books.'
Ray Bradbury's last piece of writing was about libraries and their importance in his life when he was just a little boy. The piece titled "The Book and the Butterfly" was excerpted from 'The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2012' and dedicated to his official biographer, Sam Weller. It included the line 'Day, after day, after glorious day, I was falling in love with books.'
Academy Award-winning actress Joan Crawford was known for her glamorous image and over-the-top self-promotion. Crawford became notorious as a mean mom -- at least according to daughter Christina, whose book became a bigger-than-life movie. Crawford was 73 when she died of pancreatic cancer on May 10, 1977. See the next slide for her defiant final words.
"Damn it...Don't you dare ask God to help me."
Fiery on screen and even more so in life, Joan Crawford was suffering from cancer and had a cardiac arrest. But her fighting spirit lived on and she lingered for two days after the heart attack. As her struggle for life became more apparent one of her housekeepers started praying. The gutsy Crawford got quite miffed and ticked off the housekeeper, saying "Damn it... Don't you dare ask God to help me." And that was the last the world heard from her.
Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert went from judging the latest film releases in print to joining Gene Siskel on TV's "At the Movies." When illness deprived him of his speaking voice, he turned to Twitter and an Internet journal. 70-year-old Ebert died of cancer on April 4, 2013. See the next slide for his final words.
'I'll see you at the movies'
After a long, laborious battle with cancer and days before he breathed his last, Roger Ebert bid farewell in what his friends call a fitting way - through his creative words. He blogged "So on this day of reflection I say again, thank you for going on this journey with me. I'll see you at the movies."
George Jones was the hard-livin' country music legend behind such hits as "She Thinks I Still Care" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today." He made headlines for his struggles with alcohol and for his fiery relationship with singer Tammy Wynette. Jones died of respiratory failure at the age of 81 on April 26, 2013. See the next slide for his final words.
"Hiya. I've been looking for you. I'm George Jones."
George Jones's wife Nancy said the legendary singer knew his time had come and was reconciled to it. She thinks his last words were him introducing himself to God, as he said "Hiya. I've been looking for you. I'm George Jones."
"The Diva of Banda" Jenni Rivera put raw emotions about her loves, losses and setbacks into her powerful ballads, earning her a devoted fan base in both her native Los Angeles area and Mexico. She topped the Latin charts and produced and starred in her own reality show. She died on Dec. 9. 2012. See the next slide for her final words.
"The number of times I have fallen down is the number of times I have gotten up."
The queen of ballads' last words wrung the hearts of her fans with their pathos. Jenni Rivera reportedly said "The number of times I have fallen down is the number of times I have gotten up" at her last news conference, a few hours before she passed away in a plane crash when she was just 43 years old.
Born Dwight Arrington Myers in Jamaica, the rapper and record producer Heavy D was front man for Heavy D and the Boyz and later became president of Uptown Records. He was only 44 when he died of bronchiectasis on Nov. 8, 2011. See the next slide for his final words.
"Be inspired!"
Heavy D's last words were actually a tweet: "Be inspired!" And his fans say it was the perfect goodbye, just the way D would've wanted it. The rapper was known was tweeting messages of love, hope and encouragement for friends and strangers.
Tim Russert was a highly regarded TV journalist and longtime moderator of NBC's "Meet the Press." He was 58 years old when he died of a heart attack on June 13, 2008. See the next slide for his final words.
"What's happening?"
Tim Russert last words - "What's happening?" - were actually while recording voiceovers for the Sunday edition of Meet the Press. He died after collapsing at the network’s Washington bureau.
You may remember her as Tammy Faye Bakker, the teary co-host of "The PTL Club." Her ex-husband, Jim Bakker, was a preacher who ended up in prison for fraud. Tammy Faye Messner died of lung cancer at the age of 65 on July 20, 2007. See the next slide for her final words.
"I see Jesus and my hands in the hands of Jesus"
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner passed away in her bedroom after saying "I see Jesus and my hands in the hands of Jesus". Her son said, "She had a very peaceful death and is no longer in pain."
Dick Clark was the long-running host of TV’s music showcase "American Bandstand," a popular bloopers show and the annual holiday hit "New Year's Rockin' Eve." With his finger on the pulse of what was popular with young listeners, he was known as "America's oldest teenager." Clark died of a heart attack at the age of 82 on April 18, 2012. See the next slide for his final words.
