The last moments of someone’s life are some of the most sacred, memorable, sometimes terrifying and also sometimes exquisite moments.

We have heard tales of all kinds: people seeing spiritual and religious apparitions, meeting ancestors who have passed, telling hilarious jokes as they approach the grim reaper, and everything in between.

These kinds of experiences show us that there’s much more to death than just… dying.

Our last moment has the potential to be the most meaningful and beautiful yet.

Nearly a decade ago, we published a blog titled “The 19 Most Memorable Last Words Of All Time”.

Over the years, this blog has accumulated so many interesting stories and last words, we had to create a blog with them all!

Here is a collection of our most favorite ones below. Be sure to read the stories and explanations beneath the quotes, they are the best part!

“Stop the world, it’s my turn to get off.”

One reader’s grandfather spoke these words moments before passing.

“I’m on a staircase, waiting in line…”

When one reader’s father was preparing to pass, they asked him what he was doing. In response, he said “I’m on a staircase waiting in line”. Could there be a stairway to heaven after all?

“Your mama loves you.”

The day before a reader’s grandpa passed he: “raised up from his bed with a look on his face that I still remember he was smiling and had a glow to him of excitement like a child going to Disney World. He had a message to give his wife (my grandmother), [so] she ran to his side and leaned down. He whispered in her ear with the biggest smile on his face the quote above: “your mama loves you”. He never spoke another word and passed early the next day. I believe he was seeing loved ones all day. And his mother-in-law wanted him to tell her daughter she loved her.

 “I’m going, I’m going!”

One reader’s good friend lay in his bed dying from cirrhosis and announced “I’m going, I’m going” and then opened his eyes and was gone!

“It’s great to have lived so long and done so little harm”

Many years ago when a reader’s friend’s dad was dying, she asked him if he was scared. His reply was “no, it’s great to have lived so long and done so little harm”. She says “he was a humble man but those words have shaped my life”. This man sounds like a modern day monk!

“KISS MY A$%!!!!!!”

At the time of his execution, John Wayne Gacy was asked if he had any last words. He looked up and said those words: KISS MY ARSE!

“I have to die first, because I cannot stand the thought of living without you.”

One reader’s grandmother had always told their grandfather this. When she had a heart attack, she looked at him, smiled and said “told you I would go first” and passed. Her grandfather just shook his head and said “she always did have to have the last word, and loved it when she was right”. 

“Goodnight dear.”

“My husband’s last words, [these] were the words he told me every night for 32 years.”

“This will all go smoothly. Let’s get going.”

A grad school professor’s last words.

“My wallet is in the jacket there, I’ll buy you guys pizza tomorrow.”

One reader’s grandfather’s last words were those, and he died without saying anything else. The next day, they bought pizza with his money.

”I am ok, just dying, not long…How are you doing?”

One reader’s Uncle was spotted on his last morning in this sweet experience… “ as I arrived and saw him awake sitting up, watching TV sports with my brother. Fully alert, clear and talking in his whispered voice. I was stunned, surprised and excited he was “back”! I asked him “How are you doing?”. He replied: ‘I am ok, just dying, not long…How are you doing?’ 

I chuckled as this guy was always a joker and usually tried to get the last word or find that button to fire you up on a subject. He was only awake a few more hours and slipped back into the deep sleep and the death breathing. That night with most around, struggling to breath, I held his hand and whispered to him “it’s ok, you can go, we will all be ok”. Two lite squeezes of my hand from him, a few shallow easy breaths, and he was gone.

After his military honors graveside service, upon being lowered into the ground he grave the gravediggers one last fight. He got stuck going down, they had to pry, dig and push to get him to go down. Yep, he was there.”

“Same.”

“My 82-year-old father was dying of mesothelioma and was on heavy pain medication his last days. He was living with me and wanted to die at Home in his room. I told him how happy I was [that] he chose to live with me and how nice it was to get to know him as an adult. He whispered “same”. I didn’t even know he could hear me. He died a few hours later never having awakened from that last word. I miss him every day. It was Feb 2011.

“You can be a king or a street sweeper, but everyone dances with the grim reaper.”

– Robert Alton Harris, April 1992 last words before he was executed

Got any famous last words to add to the collection? Share them with us below!

Krystal Penrose

More Posts - Website