The world will always be aware of John Wayne as a great Western movie performer and for his contributions to the genre. But he didn’t mention movies or his job in his last remarks, which he spoke as he lay dying. Instead, he addressed his daughter Aissa Wayne, who remained by his bedside, with tender, heartfelt comments.
John Wayne’s cause of death was stomach cancer
At the age of 72, Wayne passed away from stomach cancer on June 11, 1979, according to History.com. However, it wasn’t his first encounter with cancer, as he fought it for more than a decade. Unfortunately, the medical professionals concluded that the actor was too frail to start chemotherapy and experimental treatment, both of which were welcomed by the actor.
Wayne coined the term “The Big C” for cancer in 1964. He ultimately needed to have his left lung and four ribs removed. Wayne seemed to recover at the time, despite regularly being short of breath. However, he didn’t stop his habit of smoking and chewing tobacco regularly, which certainly didn’t help with his situation.
John Wayne’s last words were to his daughter, Aissa Wayne
A third party affirmed that Wayne was surrounded by his family throughout his hospitalization. He was never left alone as the physicians made every effort to improve his physical condition. But in the end, their efforts were unsuccessful. Wayne slipped in and out of consciousness over the course of his final days.
Although Wayne had a tender side, his name is typically associated with a rough sense of machismo. Particularly these tales, including Wayne’s dying remarks, come from his family.
Aissa, Wayne’s daughter, was beside his bedside as he passed away. She asked her father if he recognized her while holding his hand. In his final statement, he said, “Of course, I know who you are. You’re my girl. I love you.”
‘The Shootist’ was his final acting role
Wayne’s final movie role before his death was starring as J.B. Books in The Shootist. The film follows his character, who is an aging gunfighter who has cancer. He heads to Nevada and rents a room from the widowed Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son, Gillom (Ron Howard). Many folks confront Books for various reasons involving his notoriety. However, Books doesn’t plan to die quietly but will go out with a bang.
Wayne surprised critics and audiences with his performance, as many folks previously believed that he simply played himself in all of his roles. However, he wouldn’t ultimately earn an Oscar nomination for his role.
Wayne earned his first two Oscar nominations for Sands of Iwo Jima and The Alamo. However, it wouldn’t be until 1969’s True Grit that he would finally earn the golden statue. Many of his fans still believe that he deserved to get an Oscar nomination for his final work on The Shootist.