WENDY DIO: 'I Saw LEMMY Two Hours Before He Died'

During an appearance on the latest episode of the Rocktails With Ahmet Zappa podcast, Wendy Dio, widow and longtime manager of Ronnie James Dio, reflected on the friendship between the iconic heavy metal singer and a couple of other rock legends. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Ronnie] and [JUDAS PRIEST singer] Rob Halford and [MOTÖRHEAD frontman] Lemmy [Ian Kilmister] were very similar people. They chose their friends very carefully. They were just really, really cool people that loved to hang out and loved each other — very much so… And they, as I said, truly loved each other. And Rob still is amazing. He keeps in touch with me all the time. He does whatever he can for our charity. When he is out here, we go and meet up and stuff, and he's just a sweetheart. I actually gave one of Ronnie's rings to Rob."

Wendy also spoke about the last time she saw Lemmy, who celebrated his 70th birthday on December 24, 2015, learned two days later that he was afflicted with an aggressive form of cancer and died two days later, on December 28, 2015, at his home in Los Angeles.

"I saw Lemmy two hours before he died," Wendy revealed. "Todd [Singerman], his manager, called me and said, 'He's not feeling good. He hadn't been well for a while. He'd just come off the road, like, about four months before. [Ronnie's doctor] Sandy Kapoor was his doctor too. [Todd] said, 'Can you bring Sandy over? 'Cause he's not feeling good.' So we went over there. And he was talking away. And his birthday was [earlier] in December and this was [a couple of days later]. I had bought him some old German books that I found that he was very into. And these were old antique books that I'd found — war books. And he thanked me for those. And we sat and talked for a while. And his girlfriend was there. And he said, 'I'm a bit tired. I'm gonna lay down.' He laid down. I left. I went to the mall. I was walking around the mall. Todd called me and said, '[Lemmy] just passed.' I couldn't believe it. I walked around, around in circles. I didn't know. It was just unbelievable. I was just talking to him, like, two hours before. It was horrible."

When host Ahmet Zappa noted that Lemmy was a very friendly guy despite sometimes appearing unapproachable, Wendy said: "He was very introverted. So is Geezer Butler [BLACK SABBATH bassist]. They're introverted people. They're lovely people. But they really are kind of introverted. But when you know them, they're just sweet, wonderful people."

MOTÖRHEAD had to cancel a number of shows in 2015 because of Lemmy's poor health, although the band did manage to complete a European tour a couple of weeks before his death.

In June 2020, it was announced that Lemmy would get the biopic treatment. The upcoming film, "Lemmy", will be directed by Greg Olliver, who previously helmed the 2010 documentary of the same name, "Lemmy".

A custom-made urn containing Lemmy's ashes is on permanent display in a columbarium at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California.

Ronnie James Dio, best known for his work with BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW and his own band DIO, died of stomach cancer just over 15 years ago (May 16, 2010) at the age of 67.

Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history. The singer, who was recording and touring with SABBATH offshoot HEAVEN & HELL prior to his illness, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.