Sean Connery Suffered From Dementia Before Death, His Wife Reveals

Sean Connery suffered from dementia before his death on Oct. 31. His wife, Micheline Roquebrune, revealed in a rare interview that the disease had taken its toll on the 90-year-old Scottish actor before he died in his sleep on Saturday.

“He had dementia and it took its toll on him,” she said. “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. At least he died in his sleep and it was just so peaceful. I was with him all the time and he just slipped away. It was what he wanted,” she added.

Reports about Sean Connery suffering from memory loss first surfaced in 2013, when a German newspaper published an unconfirmed report claiming that actor Michael Caine had said Connery had Alzheimer’s disease. Back then, a representative of Connery denied the story and said the actor was both mentally and physically well.

Caine also described the report as ridiculous, saying someone had twisted his words. “I haven’t seen Sean for a couple of years but my wife and I spoke to him on the phone on his birthday this week and he was very well. He was fine, in complete control of his senses and his usual self. I have no idea where they are getting this stuff from. I know Sean was quite ill a year or so ago. But he is much better now and it was never anything to do with his mental state,” said Caine.

Meanwhile, Roquebrune described Sean Connery as “gorgeous,” saying they had a wonderful life together. She also said her late husband was a model of a man and that it would be hard without him. “But it could not last forever and he went peacefully,” she said.

Sean Connery had been married to Roquebrune for 45 years when he died. They had permanently lived in the Bahamas since his retirement from acting in 2003.

Aside from Roquenbrune, Connery is also survived by his sons Jason Connery and Stephane.