‘Yes, but not too much‘, Dutch poet Gerrit Achterberg, in response to his wife’s question: ‘Shall I bake some fried potatoes?’ (he died of a heart attack).
‘Don’t let me die like this, say I said something’. Emiliano Zapata), Mexican revolutionary during the Mexican Revolution.
‘The best of all is: God is with us’. John Wesley.
‘Am I dying, or is this my birthday?’ Lady Nancy Astor.
Die, my dear doctor, that’s the last thing I shall do!’ Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston.
‘Is it not meningitis?’ Louisa May Alcott (author of ‘Little Women’), who died of suspected mercury poisoning.
‘Damn it…don’t you dare ask God to help me’, Joan Crawford, actress (to her housekeeper)
‘Now it’s every man for himself’ Captain Edward John Smith, commander of the RMS TITANIC.
‘May God have mercy on the assassins’ Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, (fatally shot while saying Mass in San Salvador by a death squad assassin), whom Romero presumably saw.
‘Pardon me, sir. I did not do it on purpose’. Marie Antoinette (As she approached the guillotine, convicted of treason and about to be beheaded, she accidentally stepped on the foot of her executioner).
‘I’d like to be in hell in time for dinner’. Edward Ruloff, a convicted serial killer and last person to be executed by hanging in New York.
‘Every damn fool thing you do in this life you pay for’, Edith Piaf, singer.
‘Shazbot. Nanu nanu’. Bon Scott, lead vocalist of rock band AC/DC.
‘I am in the land of the dying, and I am soon going to the land of the living’ John Newton, Anglican preacher, abolitionist, and writer of “Amazing Grace.”
‘The car seems OK’ Ayrton Senna, three times Formula One World Racing champion
‘Well, gentlemen, you are about to see a baked Appel’, George Appel, executed by electric chair in 1928.
‘I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man.’ Che Guevera
They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance’ John Sedgwick, a Union Civil War general who was hit by sniper fire a few minutes later.
‘Pee pee’. Freddie Mercury, singer, dying of AIDS, asking to be helped to the toilet.
‘More milk’. Michael Jackson, singer
‘All my possessions for a moment of time’ Elizabeth 1, Queen of England
‘Don’t die like I did’. George Best, footballer.
‘Work hard to gain your own salvation‘. Buddha
‘And now, in keeping with Channel 40’s policy of always bringing you the latest in blood and guts, in living color, you’re about to see another first — an attempted suicide’.Christine Chubbock, who shot herself during a broadcast
‘You have won, O Galilean’ Emporer Julian, having attempted to reverse the official endorsement of Christianity by the Roman Empire.
‘It is finished’, Jesus on the Cross, before he was raised again to life.
I love the last words allegedly said by General John Sedgwick’s, who was serving as a Union commander in the American Civil War.
“What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you. They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.”
He was hit by sniper fire a few minutes after saying them, at the battle of Spotsylvania to his men who were ducking for cover, on May 9, 1864.
Thank you so much for this. I really needed to be reminded just how beautifully Jesus has taken the sting out of death today.
I think we could all learn a bit from Queen Elizabeth I’s last words… too much value places on STUFF, only to realise at the end how empty it all is…
Two of my favourite ‘last words’ are these:
“Now is not the time for making new enemies.” Voltaire, on being asked by a priest to renounce Satan on his deathbed.
“Either that wallpaper goes, or I do.” Oscar Wilde on his deathbed.
Thanks for this, Emma – was interesting and sobering – we’ll all say our last words one day!
I love the last words allegedly said by General John Sedgwick’s, who was serving as a Union commander in the American Civil War.
“What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you. They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.”
He was hit by sniper fire a few minutes after saying them, at the battle of Spotsylvania to his men who were ducking for cover, on May 9, 1864.
Thank you so much for this. I really needed to be reminded just how beautifully Jesus has taken the sting out of death today.
I think we could all learn a bit from Queen Elizabeth I’s last words… too much value places on STUFF, only to realise at the end how empty it all is…
These are brilliant – thanks!