Getty Images Actor Leonard Nimoy (L) and wife Susan Bay arrive at the Premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Star Trek Into Darkness" at Dolby Theatre on May 14, 2013 in Hollywood, California.
Leonard Nimoy was the beloved actor who brought Mr. Spock to life in “Star Trek: The Original Series.” He was also a poet, photographer, author, husband, father of two, grandfather of six and a great-grandfather of one. Nimoy passed away from end-stage Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in 2015 at the age of 83.
Shortly before he died, Nimoy shared some words of wisdom with his son, his daughter, his wife, and the world. These are the details of the last words he shared with his family and fans.
Nimoy’s Final Tweet
A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP
In his final years, Nimoy was quite active on Twitter. He shared updates about his life and his work as well as insightful aphorisms about life in general. After his COPD diagnosis, Nimoy often shared anti-smoking messages on his account.
Nimoy signed all of his tweets with the acronym “LLAP.” Trek fans know that this stands for the iconic Vulcan phrase that Nimoy himself invented, “Live Long and Prosper.”
His very last tweet was posted just a few days before his death. Like many of his previous tweets, it was a wise reflection on the nature of existence. It alluded to how life can be both fleeting and eternal since memory allows people to live on past death.
Nimoy’s Final Words to His Wife
Nimoy married his wife Susan Bay Nimoy on New Year’s Day of 1989. They remained married until his death in 2015. Nimoy was at her husband’s bedside when he passed.
In an interview with Inside Edition in 2019, which can be seen above, Nimoy shared the last words her husband said before he passed. He told her that it was time for him to go. She remarked that he was in an incredible amount of discomfort and very weak at the time. After Nimoy said that to his wife, he called the nurses in and asked them to ease him out of this life.
That interview was the first time Nimoy revealed that her husband had requested euthanasia. She described the process, saying that the nurses gradually increased his morphine dosage. Nimoy said that her husband was so weak that it didn’t take long for him to pass after that.
Nimoy’s Final Words to His Daughter
To the first man in my life, my forever rock. Thinking about you today, as I do everyday. I’ll always cherish and remember the wonderful times we shared together. Happy Father’s Day! Your loving daughter. @nimoycopdfilm #FathersDay2021
Julie Nimoy, his only daughter, was also with her father as he passed. In an interview with Mirror in 2018, she told the world what her father said to her right before he passed.
“He took my hands. He said: ‘Julie I love you. I’m very proud of you. I just want you to be able to let me go now. It’s time for me, I can’t do this any more.’”
Julie went on to say that her father was surrounded by his entire family for several days before his passing. She said that he took the time to have special, one on one conversations with each of his family members before he died. Julie shared that her father was “happy” and that “he felt complete” before his passing.
Nimoy’s Final Words to His Son
Nimoy’s son Adam had a complicated relationship with his father, as he revealed in an essay he penned for the Boston Globe in 2021. After being estranged for several years, Adam and his father mended their relationship. Luckily, they had many years together before Nimoy passed.
In that essay, Adam revealed some of the beautiful words of wisdom his father passed on in his final days, which just happened to be about Mr. Spock.
“Just before he died, he reminded me that Spock, half Vulcan, was the only alien on the bridge of the Enterprise. Spock always wanted to integrate himself among his crewmates, Dad said, ‘to give the best that he had to offer.’ I feel the same way about how my father lived his own life.“
As Nimoy alluded to in his final tweet, people are never truly gone as long as the people who loved them carry their memories. Susan, Julie, and Adam have all made sure that the world doesn’t forget the man they loved or the wisdom he bestowed. They’ve launched advocacy programs on his behalf, created documentaries about his life and his work, and helped erect monuments for him.
And, of course, “Star Trek” fans ensure that Nimoy is immortal through Mr. Spock.
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What Were Leonard Nimoy’s Last Words?