Gene Wilder was an iconic American actor and comedian best remembered for his remarkable performances in classic comedy films, particularly his collaborations with Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor. Wilder’s talent for blending humor with genuine emotion endeared him to audiences worldwide, especially with one of his most famous roles as the eccentric candy maker Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, a character whose whimsical yet enigmatic nature captivated audiences.
Despite Gene Wilder‘s immense talent and success in the entertainment industry, he was known for his humility and gentle demeanor off-screen. He passed away on August 29, 2016, at the age of 83, after a battle with Alzheimer’s. Recently, his devoted widow, Karen Boyer, reflected on his final days and recalled the last words he spoke to her.
Gene Wilder’s widow reveals her late husband’s last words
Boyer opened up about her time with her husband during his health battle in a new documentary about the actor titled Remembering Gene Wilder. She recalled the last words he spoke to her shortly before his death as they listened to Ella Fitzgerald’s “Over the Rainbow” recording, initially sung by Judy Garland for The Wizard of Oz.
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“The music was playing in the background…and I was lying next to him,” Boyer stated. “He sat up in bed, and he said, ‘I trust you.’ And then he said, ‘I love you.’ That’s the last thing he said.”
Boyer shared that the late actor never fully grasped his situation despite the overwhelming challenges. Still, she maintained a calm demeanor and remained committed to him, offering unwavering love and support. “He never really accepted that he had Alzheimer’s, and maybe by the time we found out that’s what it was, his hippocampus didn’t let him remember,” she admitted. “So I’m not sure that he ever knew. When I’d see him slip away further from me, I was sick to my stomach, but I had to keep smiling and tell him that everything was okay.”
Karen also reminisced about a memorable event in her husband’s life when he took a dip in the pool at the height of his health challenges. “He hadn’t walked alone [in a long time], and it was just a few days before he died, and I looked up, and he was walking across the kitchen, and then he said, ‘I want to go swimming.’ He dove into the pool liked he used to — I saw his little tush in the air — and I was awestruck,” Boyer confessed. “And he took two strokes, he stood up, shook his head the way he always did to get the water out of his ear and said, ‘That’s good,’ went back to bed, and I think he just wanted to get in the pool one more time.”