Willie Nelson begged wife to let him die during COVID battle
Willie Nelson has credited his wife Annie D'Angelo with saving his life after he was left struggling to breathe during a severe bout of COVID-19.
Willie Nelson has credited his wife Annie D'Angelo with saving his life after he was left struggling to breathe during a severe bout of COVID-19.
The 93-year-old country music legend recalled the frightening experience in his new memoir, 'The Last Leaf: Reflections on Late-Life Creativity and My Longest Love Affair', released on Tuesday (10.11.26).
Willie fell ill in May 2022 while sleeping aboard his tour bus with Annie, 70, and soon found himself unable to walk even a few feet to the bathroom.
His wife immediately began helping him breathe using oxygen and a nebuliser before arranging for their drivers to take them back to Austin, Texas.
Annie had already prepared their bedroom for medical care because she feared her husband might eventually contract the virus.
She arranged treatment, including the antiviral drug Paxlovid and monoclonal antibodies, while avoiding a hospital visit over concerns about privacy and further infections.
However, Willie's condition continued to deteriorate, leaving him in unbearable pain.
In an excerpt published by People, the 'On the Road Again' singer recalled pleading with his wife: "Annie, you need to let me go."
Annie refused to give up on him, responding with her characteristic humour: "Willie, if you die, I'll kill you."
When Willie later asked whether he had begged her to let him die, she confirmed: "Yup, twice."
She described his illness as two weeks of intense suffering, during which she feared he might not survive.
A doctor eventually arrived to administer an intravenous treatment, although Willie was warned that the medication carried serious risks.
The couple managed to get through the ordeal, which Willie now considers one of the most frightening experiences of his life.
Willie and Annie met while working on the television film 'Stagecoach' in 1986 and married in 1991.
They have two sons, musicians Lukas and Micah.
His new memoir explores their marriage and the role Annie has played in his life throughout their four decades together.
