It was only after Sean Connery died at the age of 90 in 2020 that his family revealed he had been diagnosed with dementia. Now, a new biography of the James Bond actor shares more information about the state of his condition at the time of his death. As reported by Fox News Digital, the book Connery, Sean Connery by Herbie J Pilato, includes an account from Connery's friend, Brendan Lynch, about the star's final days.
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Connery's death was confirmed by his family in October 2020. As reported by the BBC, Connery's son, Jason Connery, said in a statement, "We are all working at understanding this huge event as it only happened so recently, even though my dad has been unwell for some time." He also said that his dad "had many of his family, who could be in the Bahamas, around him." Connery and his wife, Micheline Roquebrune, had lived in the Caribbean country for a long time.
Soon after, Roquebrune told The Mail on Sunday that Connery had been dealing with dementia. "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 said. "He had dementia and it took its toll on him. He got his final wish to slip away without any fuss."
Pilato's book includes an account from Connery's friend, Lynch, about what it was like seeing him battle dementia toward the end of his life. Lynch, who also lived in the Bahamas, said that Rouquebrune asked him to visit more often as Connery was dying.
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"I was crying at times to see this mountain of a man—this monumental human achievement in such a terrible state—frail (mentally and physically) unable to carry on a conversation or finish off a sentence," Lynch said, according to the book. "To see his body weak and flawed at the end… it was very sad. We tried to have a conversation. I tried to tell him what was going on in the sporting world, despite knowing that he wasn’t actually taking it all in."
Pilato spoke to Fox News Digital about what he learned of Connery's experience. "Dementia is not just a mental issue. You’re affected physically in other ways… It affects everything. So it’s not just the mind. And to see someone who was so strong battling this disease—it was difficult," the author said. "If anybody looked like a movie star, it was Sean Connery. But towards the end, when he was frail, it was hard to watch. It was hard to see that."
Pilato also talked about Connery and Rouquebrune's relationship. The couple had been married since 1975. "She was dedicated to him. And their relationship was great for years, decades. She was there for him right to the end," he said. "They went to the Bahamas, and they ended up spending the rest of his life there." The writer added, "I think it was hard for his wife, his son and fans who loved him. It’s hard to see anybody get sick and become frail."
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