LONDON: Iconic Scottish actor Sean Connery, who passed away a day earlier at the age of 90, suffered from dementia in the final years of his life, according to his widow.
Connery, famous for playing the original on-screen James Bond, passed away at his home in the Bahamas, prompting an outpouring of tributes.
“He died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family members,” his widow Micheline Roquebrune said while talking to an international news channel. “I was with him all the time and he just slipped away,” she added.
“He had dementia and it took its toll on him. He got his final wish to slip away without any fuss. It was no life for him. He was not able to express himself latterly,” she revealed.
According to a report, Sean Connery will be honoured in a private funeral ceremony, with a memorial event to be held later. The actor won numerous awards during his career encompassing an array of big-screen hits, including an Oscar, three Golden Globes and two Bafta awards.
However, it was his smooth, Scottish-accented portrayal of the suave licensed-to-kill spy 007 that earned him lasting worldwide fame and adoration. The first actor to utter the unforgettable “Bond, James Bond”, Connery made six official films as novelist Ian Fleming’s creation.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to praise the big-screen star after he passed on to even greener fairways.
….all I needed, everything went swimmingly from there. He was so highly regarded & respected in Scotland and beyond that years of future turmoil was avoided. Sean was a great actor and an even greater man. Sincere condolences to his family!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2020
“He was quite a guy, and a tough character,” Trump added, claiming Connery had once helped one of his Scottish developments win approval by saying “let him build the damn thing”.
