Oprah Winfrey on Why She Thought She Would Die at 56

65-year-old Oprah Winfrey revealed that she used to have a recurring dream that she was going to die at the age of 56.

Oprah Winfrey spent the first 56 years of her life under a cloud. Since she was a child she'd had a recurring dream that she would die at 56.

That eery premonition haunted her until she finally turned 57, and liberated her from her fear.

Oprah's move to Nashville was the first step on the road that would lead her to a life of unprecedented success

THE CHILDHOOD DREAM THAT HAUNTED OPRAH WINFREY

Oprah confided her fear and her premonition to only one person, her best friend Gayle King.

She told Gayle that she had dreamed that she would die at a certain age, but refused to reveal the year. She said:

“I had only told one other person that I had a number in my head when I was going to die, and that was Gayle [King, her best friend]. Gayle said, ‘What’s the number?’ I said, ‘I’m not going to tell you, because you will drive me crazy and then I will end up dead.'”

OPRAH PURSUED BY PREMONITION FOR DECADES

Oprah revealed that she had that haunting dream at a time when she was living in Milwaukee in crushing poverty. She said:

“At the time I started having this vision of 56, it was when I was in Milwaukee and I was trapped in a world where I could see how dire it was.”

LIBERATED FROM FEAR AT 57

Oprah confessed that when she turned 57 a huge weight lifted from her heart. She also believes that what changed her fate was moving to Nashville to live with her father. She said:

“Had I not gotten out of Milwaukee, nothing would have been the same. I do believe I would have been dead at 56. I believe I would have been 437 lbs. I believe I would have had diabetes. I would have had high blood pressure. I would have suffocated knowing that things could have been different.”

OPRAH WINFREY'S EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY

Oprah's move to Nashville was the first step on the road that would lead her to a life of unprecedented success, and influence.

She is surrounded by loving friends and has had a special man in her life for the last 30 years.

Today, the unhappy little girl who dreamed she'd die young in Milwaukee has made an indelible mark on the world and has used the power and wealth at her disposal to help many thousands of girls escape from their own nightmare of lives limited by poverty and lack of opportunity.

OPRAH WINFREY CELEBRATES 65TH BIRTHDAY ON A YACHT

Oprah Winfrey celebrated her 65th with her best friend Gayle King aboard a luxury yacht off the coast of St Bart.

Oprah, Gayle, her son Bumpus and an unidentified male friend had a great time aboard David Geffen’s $300 million mega-yacht, the Rising Sun.

Not bad for a woman who didn't think she'd see 57, and yet has crammed several lifetimes of achievement into every decade.