About the song
For decades, Engelbert Humperdinck was known as the King of Romance — the man whose velvety voice could make entire arenas swoon. But behind the spotlight and applause lies a story of profound love and heartbreaking loss. In a rare and emotional interview, the legendary singer opened up about the most painful chapter of his life — saying goodbye to his beloved wife, Patricia, after a long and difficult battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Married for nearly 60 years, Engelbert and Patricia’s love story began long before fame found him. “She was with me before I had a hit record,” he said softly. “Through the struggles, the success, the tours — she was my anchor.” But in 2007, their world changed when Patricia was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. “I didn’t want to believe it,” Engelbert admitted. “She was so full of life, so full of joy. Watching that slowly fade was the hardest thing I’ve ever faced.”
The couple’s journey through illness was one of quiet devotion. Engelbert refused to place Patricia in a care facility, choosing instead to keep her close at their home. “I wanted her to be surrounded by love, by familiar things,” he shared. “I’d sing to her every night, hoping the music would reach her somehow. Sometimes I saw a flicker in her eyes — a moment of recognition — and that was enough to keep me going.”
When Patricia passed away in 2021, Engelbert said the world felt suddenly empty. “It was like the music stopped,” he confessed. “We’d been together since we were teenagers. I didn’t just lose my wife — I lost a part of myself.”
Even in his grief, he found a way to honor her memory through his art. His recent performances have taken on a deeply emotional tone, with each show becoming a tribute to the woman he called his “forever love.” Before performing his classic hit “The Last Waltz,” he often dedicates it to Patricia. “That song means more now than it ever did,” he explained. “It’s not just about love — it’s about holding on, even when you have to let go.”
Fans around the world have been touched by his openness and vulnerability. Messages of comfort have poured in, and Engelbert says the outpouring of love has helped him heal. “She gave me so much,” he said, “and the least I can do is keep her spirit alive through my music.”
Despite his heartbreak, Humperdinck continues to tour, record, and inspire. “Grief doesn’t end,” he reflected. “You just learn to live with it — and to turn that pain into something beautiful.”
For the man who built a career singing about love, losing his greatest one has given new depth to every note he sings. “I still talk to her,” he said with a tender smile. “Every night, I look up and say, ‘Goodnight, my darling.’ And somehow, I know she hears me.”
