Singer Engelbert Humperdinck is mourning his 56-year-old wife, Patricia Healey, who died on Thursday at the age of 85 after contracting COVID-19.
Humperdinck, 84, announced in a shared social media post on Friday that his family was “heartbroken over the loss of my dear wife”, who died the night before, “surrounded by our children, Louise, Jason, Brad , with Scott on FaceTime. “
“Her earthly limitations no longer hold her back, as she is freely managing the glorious gardens of Heaven, meeting with so many loved ones,” wrote Humperdinck. “We prayed as a family, we blessed her with the water from Lourdes and there she was … taken into the arms of Jesus with the help of generous and heartfelt prayers from around the world.”
Healey, a British-born actress, had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for over a decade, Humperdinck revealed in 2019. He shared on January 26 that he, Healey, his son Jason and two of his caregivers had tested positive for the new coronavirus.
“Her longtime caregivers lovingly helped make her transition easier for all of us,” wrote Humperdinck, adding that “his wife’s battle with Alzheimer’s was a courageous one from the start. She never resisted while we tried to leave no stone unturned” .
He concluded, “We love you beyond words, forever and ever. Now it’s falling in the minutes of a whole day without you. Good night, my baby.”
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In a 2019 interview with The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, Humperdinck noted that his wife’s illness was the reason fans may have noticed that he was teary-eyed on stage.
“It hits me several times during my show,” he said. “People didn’t know before, but I think they do now. Now they can get an idea of what’s going on in my heart. “
He added at the time: “She is fine. You still know me, thank God. She recognizes me and smiles and sometimes says hello. Her speech is not very good at the moment, but with treatment and I hope that the discovery of a cure in the near future, I hope and pray that all is well. “
Rarely sharing his private life with the public, Humperdinck chose to talk about his wife’s condition for one reason: “It is a terrible disease,” he said. “It is very common right now, and we have to do something about it. I thought it was important to inform people.”
Contributing: Randy Cordova, Arizona Republic
This article was originally published in USA TODAY: Engelbert Humperdinck’s wife, Patricia Healey, dies of COVID-19