Willie Nelson reveals he asked wife to ‘let him die' twice during ‘nightmare' COVID battle
Willie Nelson reveals he asked wife to ‘let him die' twice during ‘nightmare' COVID battle
Kathleen O'Boyle Wed, November 11, 2026 at 11:25 PM UTC
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Willie Nelson opens up about COVID battle (Image: Getty)
Willie Nelson has opened up about the terrifying experience of battling COVID-19 in 2022, revealing that he asked his wife, Annie Nelson, to let him die twice as his condition continued to worsen.
The Texas music legend, 93, recalled the ordeal in his new book, The Last Leaf: Reflections on Late-Life Creativity - and My Longest Love Affair, which is out now. In an exclusive excerpt shared with People, Nelson looks back on the experience alongside his wife, 70, who he credits with saving his life while fighting COVID.
The book also offers a closer look at the couple's relationship, with Annie serving as a central part of the story. The pair first met on the set of the 1986 television movie Stagecoach before getting married five years later. They share two sons, Lukas, 37, and Micah, 36. This comes after he called out air pollution in his Texas hometown.
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Although Nelson had previously spoken publicly about contracting COVID-19 in May 2022, his new book details just how serious the situation became and the lengths Annie went to in order to care for him.
According to the excerpt, the singer was sleeping on his tour bus when he suddenly became unable to breathe. The distance between his bed and the bathroom was less than five feet, but he was too unwell to make it there.
Nelson said he asked his wife to 'let him die' twice during COVID (Image: Getty)
He recalled, "Annie and I were sleeping in the bus when it hit me. The distance from the bed to the bathroom is less than 5 feet. But I couldn't get there. I couldn't breathe. Annie remembers. It was May 4."
Nelson added, "I had the nebulizer on you, and a Q-tip up your nose to test for COVID-19. I got the oxygen going to keep you breathing, but it wasn't working. You still couldn't breathe. The COVID-19 test came up positive. I knew not to panic, but I also knew this was bad."
Annie recalled taking immediate steps to help her husband, explaining that she had already prepared for the possibility that he could contract the virus.
She said she managed to get Paxlovid, which had recently become available, through musician Mickey Raphael. The couple also arranged for a mobile monoclonal antibody treatment to meet them at their home in Austin, Texas.
While Nelson's condition continued to deteriorate during the journey home, Annie said she had already prepared their bedroom to function like a hospital room.
"How'd you know how to do all this stuff?" Nelson asked his wife.
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"I'd worked all this out for months," said Annie. "I knew there was a good chance you'd catch it. I knew I needed to be ready. I also knew that taking you to a hospital was not an option. You'd have no chance of privacy, and hospitals are hotbeds of deadly viruses. Anyway, we got home and carried you off the bus into our bedroom, which was already outfitted like a hospital. I knew that the Paxlovid would take another day to kick in and we'd have to wait till morning for the monoclonal antibodies."
The music legend is now 93 (Image: Getty)
The excerpt continued, "Meanwhile, you got sicker with every passing hour. Every labored breath caused you incredible pain. I wanted to do more, but I'd done all I could. I just had to sit there and watch you suffer. It was the worst thing I've ever had to do."
Nelson said he could remember experiencing severe pain throughout his body during the illness. He also recalled asking Annie to let him go, a request she confirmed he had made more than once. He wrote, "All I can remember is feeling excruciating pain in every cell of my body. Am I right in remembering that I said, 'Annie, you need to let me go'?' That's just what you said. But you wouldn't let me."
The following morning, a doctor returned to administer an IV infusion of monoclonal antibodies. Nelson recalled being warned about the potential risks of the treatment but was willing to go ahead with it.
The excerpt read, "We got through the night and in the morning the doctor was back with an IV infusion. He look at you and said, 'Mr. Nelson, I have to warn you: This medicine will either get you better or it will kill you.' 'Either way,' you said, 'just give it to me.'"
Nelson later asked Annie how long he had been seriously ill, with his wife revealing that the experience lasted far longer than just a few difficult days.
The excerpt read, "How many days was I bad off?" I asked Annie. Two weeks of utter hell. I've never seen such pain."
He then asked whether he had requested to die more than once during the ordeal.
The excerpt read, "'Did I ask you to let me die?' 'Yup, twice. The whole thing was a nightmare.'"
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
