Tony Bennett's death gave a spotlight on his previous near-death experience after an unexpected event happened.
Bennett's publicist, Sylvia Weiner, confirmed the iconic singer's death in a statement to The Associated Press, revealing that he died at his New York City home a few days shy of what would have been his 97th birthday. It did not disclose his cause of death, but his passing came after his long battle with Alzheimer's Disease which started in 2016.
Prior to his demise, the singer faced a near-death experience that almost cost him his life.
Tony Bennett Nearly Died Before His Death This Year
Bennett's 2011 book "All The Things You Are: The Life of Tony Bennett" shared his struggles with drugs and depression decades before he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Elsewhere in his book, he detailed his near-death experience in 1979 when his life started spinning out of control.
At that time, the "Rags to Riches" singer revealed he "overindulged and quickly realized I was in trouble" when his career and marriage started falling apart.
He referred to his use of cocaine and marijuana soon after the IRS started the proceedings to seize his Los Angeles home after failing to pay $2 million in taxes, leading him to almost overdose.
"I tried to calm myself down by taking a hot bath, but I must've passed out," he recalled. "And I experienced what some call a near-death experience; a golden life enveloped me in a warm glow. It was quite peaceful. ... But suddenly, I was jolted out of the vision."
Tony Bennett "Saved" By His Wife
Bennett would have died at that time if he was not saved by his then-wife, Sandra, who checked on him after hearing that the water was running too long. The singer, who was no longer breathing at that time, regained consciousness after his wife pounded on his chest and literally brought him back to life.
He was rushed to the hospital following the incident, and he shared how he only thought about what his ex-manager Jack Rollins told him about Lenny Bruce before the famed stand-up comedian died in 1966.
After the incident, the "For Once in My Life" singer became determined to fix everything and clean up his act as he continued his career as a musician.
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