John Wayne’s contributions to the Western film genre are legendary, and his name will be forever associated with the genre.
His final statements on his deathbed, however, had nothing to do with his filmography or his professional legacy. Instead, he directed the remarks at his daughter Aissa Wayne, who stayed at his side throughout his illness.
The Actor John Wayne died Of Stomach Cancer.
Wayne passed away at the age of 72 from stomach cancer on June 11, 1979, as reported by History.com. But this was not his first battle with the disease; he had already spent almost a decade doing so.
The actor had approved of chemotherapy and experimental treatment, but physicians said he was too frail to begin them.
Cancer was dubbed “The Big C” by Wayne in 1964. The damage to his lungs and ribs was so severe that they had to be surgically removed.
Wayne seemed to be doing better despite his chronic shortness of breath. But, he did not give up the cigarettes and tobacco he frequently used to smoke and chew.
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Aissa Wayne, John Wayne’s Daughter, Was The Recipient Of His Final Words.
Someone from the outside has confirmed that Wayne’s loved ones visited him often in the hospital. The physicians did everything they could to improve his health and never left him alone.
Yet in the end, their efforts were fruitless. Before his death, Wayne was in and out of consciousness throughout his final days.
Despite the stereotype that associates Wayne with machismo, he nevertheless had a soft spot for the sentimental. In particular, his relatives are the source of these tales and Wayne’s last words.
Aissa, Wayne’s daughter, was with him in the hospital when he passed away. She asked her dad if he recognized her while she held his hand. ‘Of course, I know who you are,’ he said in his dying breath. I can’t help but to think of you as my girl. Putting it simply: I adore you.
This Part In “The Shootist” Was His Last As An Actor.
Before his untimely passing, Wayne starred as J.B. Books in the film The Shootist. His character, a grizzled gunfighter with cancer, ages throughout the film.
To get away, he travels to Nevada, where he stays with Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son, Gillom (Ron Howard). Because of his fame, Books has encountered many people who have sought to have words with him.
Books, however, doesn’t intend to go out gently but rather with a whimper.
Many people had assumed that Wayne merely acted as himself in all of his parts, thus his performance came as a shock to both critics and fans. However, his performance did not garner him an Oscar nod.
Sands of Iwo Jima and The Alamo were Wayne’s first two Academy Award nominations. Yet it wasn’t until the 1969 film True Grit that he was nominated for and won an Oscar. There are many who insist he should have been nominated for an Academy Award for his work on The Shootist.
