Unnerving Last Words
When people are on their last legs, they seem to feel the need to unburden themselves of past misdeeds or thoughts they've held on to. From the benign confessions of love to the shocking secrets of double lives, these real-life stories are about the most unnerving last words ever to be overheard.
1. Deal With The Devil
I was caring for an elderly lady who had been in declining health and nearing the end of her life for about a week.
She consistently requested that I read her the Bible, but the moment I started, she would cry out, saying he was there to take her and stood just behind me.
It was especially eerie to hear this in the stillness of the night at 3 AM. Eventually, I gathered the courage to ask her to specify who she meant by "he". Honestly, I wasn't ready for her response. She said, "The Devil’s coming for me because I didn't stop my husband from harming our children".
2. Guardian Angel
Just recently, I had the privilege of looking after an elderly lady who suffered from several sudden strokes within a short span.
Just one week prior, she was your typical energetic 80-year-old, spending her days horse riding and teaching at a nearby school on a part-time basis.
By the time she came under my care, she could no longer speak, care for her own needs, or even feed herself.
Despite her condition, I sensed that she was mentally present, and so, I chatted with her whenever I was in her company.
Our conversations revolved around her daughters who called in regularly, her husband—though I tactfully omitted the fact that he hadn't called—the days' weather, her horses, and her students who had sent her a card.
On my final working day of the week, one of her daughters managed to catch a flight and visit her. They sat together, hand-in-hand, not saying a word for several hours.
As visiting time came to a close at the end of my shift, I entered the room just as her daughter was preparing to leave.
It was then that the elderly lady spoke words that I knew were bound to be her last—and they were absolutely heart-wrenching. She told us, "I'll always be looking after you". She gestured towards her daughter and then at me before dozing off. When I returned to work two days later, I learned that she had peacefully passed during the night.
3. It Was Par For The Course
My grandma was removed from life support and my dad and grandpa spent the night at the hospital with her. Around seven in the morning, dad stepped out to get breakfast. Then, something remarkable happened—grandma woke, looked at grandpa, and told him, "Get the new golf clubs. I love you," before she passed.
Grandpa and dad had been discussing earlier about grandpa's ancient golf clubs. He'd been considering buying new ones for over 20 years. For the past week leading up to this, my grandma had been less than fully alert; she was barely conscious.
4. Those Hollywood Nights
For about ten years, I had a job at a nursing home taking care of hospice patients, rehab residents, and others needing long-term care.
In those years, I got to know one gentleman who had served in the Army Film Unit in Los Angeles during a period of conflict.
One night, it seemed like he wouldn't survive till morning, and I kept him company, engaging in conversation. Throughout, he was incredibly clear-headed. He revealed to me that he had witnessed first-hand the "Zoot Suit Riots".
Astonishingly, he even confessed to ending another man's life, although he never faced any consequences.
Despite investigations, I never managed to validate any documented deaths occurring during the riot's five-day span in LA. The stories didn't stop there. He also regaled me with tales of a flirtatious encounter with Rosemary Clooney in a bar on Sunset Boulevard.
