None of us really know when our last moment on this planet will come or what we’ll say when it does—that is, if we manage to say anything at all. But some people have left behind final words so unforgettable that they’ve stayed with us long after they’re gone.
A few of these parting lines, from funny to touching, have even made their way into this popular Reddit thread. Scroll down to read them and upvote the ones you’d want to be remembered by!
#1
I like my Gramma's last words.
"My, what a LOVELY party!!"
She was 102 and a half, at home, and the end was very near. Family and friends (including her cardiologist, a close friend of ours) were over for Christmas, and after dinner mom put Gramma to bed. Then everyone gathered in Gramma's room with bottles of wine and champagne, played Big Band music, sang, chatted, passed Gramma wine and bubbly. Eventually everyone retired, and as mom tucked her in, Gramma said "My, what a LOVELY party!" She never woke up. It was a good passing.
Image credits: Flimsy_Fee8449
#2
Willem Arondeus. “Tell people that homosexuals are not cowards”. He was a Dutch anti-N*zi resistance fighter. Bad a*s.
Image credits: boothy_qld
#3
My grandfather wasn't famous but I was with him when he passed. His last words were "Mary, I've missed you" and i tear up and am comforted every time i think of it. Mary was my grandmother's name, she passed about 15 years before him.
Image credits: illpoet
#4
As Voliatire was on his deathbed, a priest performed the last rites and asked him if he "rejects Satan and all his deed?" Voltaire said: “MY goodman, now is not the time for making new enemies.”
Image credits: Walterscottjur
#5
Just before hanging, French aristocrat Marquis de Favras read his death warrant and commented “I see that you have made 3 spelling errors.”
Image credits: johnny_cash_money
#6
A 17 year old Yugoslavian girl, Lepa Radic, was caught fighting the N*zis. As they hung a noose around her neck they offered her a reprieve if she were to give up her co conspirators.
She responded by telling them she was not a traitor, and that they would reveal themselves when they avenged her death.
"I am not a traitor of my people. Those whom you are asking about will reveal themselves when they have succeeded in wiping out all you evildoers, to the last man."
#7
Oleksandr Matsievskiy was a Ukrainian sniper who was captured and executed by the russian invaders in late December of 2022. He was standing in what would be his grave. He said "Slava Ukraini" (Glory to Ukraine) and the russians m*rdered him.
#8
“How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause? Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?” - Sophie Scholl
Sophie Scholl was an anti-n*zi political activist who was executed for treason at the age of 21. I highly recommend looking into her story.
Image credits: ReptarsLawyer
#9
My battery is low and it’s getting dark. - Mars rover.
#10
The almost final words of writer Roald Dahl, were "You know, I'm not frightened. It's just that I will miss you all so much" to his family. After appearing to fall unconscious the nurse then injected him with morphine to ease his passing and he said his actual last words:
“Ow, f**k!”.
Image credits: The_AlphaLaser
#11
“Let’s Roll” Todd Beamer, on board UA flight 93(9/11).
Image credits: delilahviolet83
#12
“If anyone has a message for the Devil, tell me now, for I shall be seeing him shortly.” -Lavinia Fisher, the first female serial k*ller in the US.
Image credits: LadyGwyn12-22
#13
"I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have." - Leonardo da Vinci.
Image credits: doublestitch
#14
Oscar Wilde: “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us must go.”
Image credits: Hectordoink
#15
"More weight." - Giles Corey, as he was pressed to death for refusing to confess to witchcraft.
Image credits: A5CH3NT3
#16
“I’m well done on this side. Turn me over.”
-St. Lawrence (while being burned to death on a gridiron).
Image credits: dumbinternetstuff
#17
I find Marie Antoinette’s last words to be very tragic - on her way to the block she accidentally trod on the executioner’s foot and said “pardon me, sir, I did not mean to do it”.
Image credits: NotACyclopsHonest
#18
"Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something." - Pancho Villa.
Image credits: StormSafe2
#19
During the sinking of the Titanic, a person named Benjamin Guggenheim was offered a life jacket. He refused, saying:
"No thank you, we are dressed in our best and are prepared to go down like gentlemen... But we would like a brandy".
He did not survive the sinking.
#20
“Surprise me” - Bob Hope
His wife asked him where he wanted to be buried.
#21
Last words are for fools who haven't said enough in life.
-Karl Marx.
Image credits: Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
#22
"Die, my dear? Why, that's the last thing I'll do!" - Groucho Marx.
#23
"They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."
Union General John Sedgewick.
Image credits: Hoppy_Croaklightly
#24
“Lady, you shot me.” - Sam Cooke upon having been shot. By some lady.
Image credits: Carrollmusician
#25
There is an apocryphal story about the last words of jazz drummer Buddy Rich. As he was being prepped for surgery the nurse asked him if there was anything he was allergic to, he replied "Yeah, country music." He never recovered from the surgery and died a couple weeks later.
Image credits: MR_NIKAPOPOLOS
#26
I'm going out now. I may be some time.
-Lawrence Oates, on an Antarctic expedition, just before leaving the tent during a blizzard to sacrifice himself and give the other explorers a better chance at survival.
Image credits: Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
#27
" I die a queen, but I would rather die the wife of Culpepper." Katherine Howard, King Henry VIII teenage bride, who was beheaded for adultery.
#28
Spike Milligan upon his death bed
“ I told you I was ill”.
#29
"Eg er kvit or hjarterota, kongen har fødd oss vel", or in English: "There is fat around my heart, the king has fed us well”, said by Tormod Kolbrunarskald as he pulled an arrow out of his heart and saw fat on the arrowhead.
Image credits: Internet_employee
#30
Cop k*ller George Appel at the time of his execution in the electric chair, August 9th, 1928.
"Well, gentlemen, you are about to see a baked Appel."
Image credits: xdark_realityx
#31
Not really last words last words, but last words to someone. And definitely a funny story imo.
So there used to be this supergroup called cream, consisting of jack Bruce, ginger Baker and Eric Clapton. Bruce and Baker famously hated each other. With a burning passion.
So when Bruce was a few hours from death in 2014, he phoned up close friends to say goodbye. When he called his ex-cream band mate Baker, he told him, “I’m dying, Ginger, f**k you!" and proceeded to then slam down the phone. Baker tried to call back several times, but obv Bruce wouldn’t pick up.
As Bruce always felt baker just had to have the last word in any conversation. So by doing this he knew baker would resent him even more because he could never get baker back.
#32
On his deathbed, Spanish Prime Minister Ramón María Narváez was asked to forgive his enemies, to which he replied:
"I don't need to forgive my enemies — I have had them all shot."
Image credits: LexLuthorJr
#33
Oscar-winning actor George Sanders committed s*icide at the age of 65. His suicide note read:
“Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck.”
#34
"Shoot straight, you bastards! Don't make a mess of it!”
-Breaker Morant.
#35
My mom woke up for a moment toward the end, saw the people gathered to say goodbye and her last words were, "Holy s**t!".
#36
I have always been intrigued by Steve Jobs’ last words “OH WOW. OH WOW.” I wonder what he was seeing.
#37
Galois’ last words “Dry your eyes brother I need all the courage I can have to die at 20”.
Image credits: TallGuyPA
#38
”I am about to - or I am going to - die: either expression is acceptable.”
Dominique Bouhours (1628-1702) - Priest, essayist, critic and grammarian.
#39
"I've had 18 straight whiskies...... I think that's the record." - Dylan Thomas.
Image credits: TallEnoughJones
#40
When Warren Zevon, who knew he was dying, was asked by David Letterman if he had any advice for the rest of us, he said “Enjoy every sandwich”.
#41
There is nothing proper about what you are doing, soldier, but do try to k*ll me properly.
Cicero.
#42
“How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? French fries.”
James French convicted m*rderer before his execution by electric chair. ( not likely to be after it).
Image credits: Shan-Chat
#43
“I have a terrific headache.”- Franklin Delano Roosevelt seconds before dying of a hemorrhagic stroke.
#44
I like Julius Caesar's last words. In the Shakespeare play he says "Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar." The "et tu, Brute" part is based on what we historically think Caesar said, but he was thought to have said it in Greek, "kai su, teknon" which translates to "and thou, child."
However, kai su teknon at that time was used like slang or colloquially to mean "you too, *kid*" in an insulting or condescending manner.
So, it is possible that on being stabbed by his friend and ally and betrayed by his colleagues, Caesar was not lamenting and questioning this betrayal with a melancholy "even *you*, Brutus?" but more giving Brutus the middle finger.
#45
"The city is fallen, and I am still alive." - Constantine XI Palaiologos before charging into battle against the Ottoman Empire.
Image credits: Automatic_You4321
