Last Hours, Moments and Words of George Harrison

Last Days , Hours and Moments of George Harrison

George, 58, had been told on or about November 14 that it was unlikely he could survive another month. After being treated for lung and throat cancer, he had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. On Saturday, November 17, it was decided that he would leave the New York hospital as the De Becker plan was put into operation.

On Saturday, November 17, George was told by doctors that he could be taken from New York. With no publicity he boarded a private jet to LA’s small Santa Monica airport. From there he entered UCLA Medical Centre, just as planned.

On Tuesday as Harrison’s condition deteriorated, he was taken to Beverly Hills in a closed, unmarked ambulance. For the next 36 hours, Harrison drifted in and out of consciousness. Olivia and Dhani maintained a constant vigil. The only ‘outsider’ allowed to visit was his great friend Ravi Shankar who played gentle sitar music. An intravenous drip fed glucose into George’s body. Occasionally he took sips from a liquid diamorphine drink.

The end came at 1.30 pm on Thursday Los Angeles time-9.30pm in Britain. His two best friends from the Krishna faith, Shayam Sundara and Mukunda, who George has known for more than 30 years, were said to be chanting quietly into their meditation beads as he passed away.

At 10.30pm in LA, by now 6.30 on Friday morning in Britain, George had been cremated. In a Hare Krishna funeral service George’s simple wood coffin was sprinkled with rose petals, and the air was filled with essence of sandalwood. There were no hymns. A Hare Krishna priest read from the Bhagavad-Gita, a series of sacred Hindu verses. Krishna expert Radha Mohan explained: “The body has always been cremated as soon as possible in India and the ashes scattered on a sacred river. It is beneficial for the soul on its eternal journey.”

According to Shankar, George positioned two pictures of Hindu gods Krishna and Rama around his bed, and he chanted the Krishna mantra. Two more of George’s close friends from the Krishna faith, Shayam Sundara and Mukunda, were there chanting quietly into their meditation beads, while George passed away at 1:20 p.m. on the 29th of November, 2001. 

He was 58 years old.

At midnight in LA, 8 am in London, news of his death was released. By this time a plane was in the air with Olivia, Dhani and George’s ashes. It was the same Learjet that had flown George from New York. De Becker had secured the 10 hours of space and private time that the family needed.

Anoushka Shankar rushed to L.A. with her father, Ravi, 81, Harrison’s Indian music mentor, to spend the day with her “Uncle George.” “He had a look that I’d never really seen before, so full of love and peace,” Shankar, 20, told the magazine. “He wasn’t able to say anything with his lips, but his eyes were saying it. That house was just so full of love.”

Paul McCartney Tells His Last Moments With George Harrison
 

“I sat with him for a few hours when he was in treatment just outside New York,” said McCartney. “He was about 10 days away from his death, as I recall. We joked about things – just amusing, nutty stuff. It was good. It was like we were dreaming. He was my little baby brother, almost, because I’d known him that long.”
 

“We held hands. It’s funny, even at the height of our friendship – as guys – you would never hold hands. It just wasn’t a Liverpool thing. But it was lovely.”

 

   

The Last Photo Of John Lennon & George Harrison Together

At a Manhattan hotel room, Paul McCartneyand Ringo Starr joined their ill bandmate George Harrison for the last time on November 12, 2001.

There were some tears – but there was more laughter than anything else.” 

George’s doctor Gil Lederman also sat in on part of the historic meeting. 

He said: “It was a spirited affair, not a sombre one. 

“There were lots of laughs and lots of fun. They spent hours reminiscing. 

“For me, it was a unique phenomenon to be there. The whole experience was an incredible one. These were the icons of my life – some of the most important people of the 20th century. 

“There were tears, but George remained very much the man of dignity. 

“At the end, after both Paul and Ringo had left, he was fine and calm. He was a very happy man. This meeting meant so much to him.” 

The three Beatles met for lunch on Monday, November 12 – just 17 days before George lost his ongoing battle with throat cancer. 

Paul was the first to arrive after flying in from London with fiancee Heather Mills. Drummer Ringo drove to George’s apartment from a hotel nearby after jetting in a few days earlier. Frail George, 58, who was on medication, ate a vegetarian meal and drank only water. 

But the old friends laughed and chuckled throughout the 90-minute lunch. 

Then just before Ringo said he had to go, George’s family and other friends retired to leave the three music legends alone together for the last time. 

Paul’s friend said: “Over the years they’d all had their differences, but all those disagreements were tossed aside as they realised just how much they meant to each other. 

“Paul always remembers that George and he spent their first meeting laughing at each other’s jokes – and it was appropriate that their last moments together were the same. With Ringo there, feelings ran high and all three had so much to say to each other. They just chatted and chatted – and it was George who set the tone with his humour. He had them all in fits of laughter. He may have been close to death, but he refused to let that defeat his great sense of humour.” 

George left after lunch for his treatment at Staten Island University Hospital. But Paul – who called the Beatles’ lead guitarist his “baby brother” – insisted on staying until he returned. 

He spent the rest of the day with him and his wife Olivia, cherishing their last moments together. 

Paul’s friend said: “Paul did say to George and Ringo that he regarded them as his brothers and his true family.” 

As they talked about the Beatles’ early days in Hamburg and their experiments with drugs and religion, “you could feel the warmth between them”. 

The pal added: “George was clearly picked up by the afternoon. He was smiling, happy and seemed so delighted to see his friends. 

“Deep down he knew this was their last moments together and realised just what a great life they had together. 

“Of course there were tears, but that was during the goodbyes. 

“For the most part George, Paul and Ringo forgot about his condition and all seemed to carry on as if they hadn’t been apart from each other for 30 years.” 

One of the high points was George’s recollection of losing his virginity in a Hamburg hotel while the other Beatles slept in bunk beds next to him. 

They then cheered and clapped after he finished making love to a stunning blonde teenager. The friend said: “The story still makes them all laugh today. 

“And that was the abiding emotion of the day – laughter and happiness. It was a wonderful day for George.

Last The Beatles photo taken of all 4 members together, 1969

George Harrison’s Last Words :

 “Love one another.”

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Sources

http://bvml.org/contemporary/tlmogh.html

“https://www.uncut.co.uk/news/paul-mccartney-reveals-his-last-moments-with-george-harrison-47705#cWox8o5C5zd2rLSE.99”

https://www.findadeath.com/directory/h/George_Harrison/index.html

https://people.com/celebrity/george-harrisons-final-days-people/

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/george-paul-and-ringos-final-meeting.751/