Tony Bennett’s Last Photo before Death Unveiled: He Looked ‘Not All There’ in It

• Legendary singer Tony Bennett died on July 21, 2023.
• The singer was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but his family kept it a secret for four years.
• Bennett was spotted in a wheelchair just a few weeks before he died and still smiled at his fans.

Tony Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, died on July 21, 2023, at 96. He was a legendary singer with a career spanning over seven decades.

Bennett started his singing career in 1949 after serving in the army for three years. He was discovered by Bob Hope while performing in a nightclub, and at that time, his stage name was Joe Bari.

Hope invited him to New York's Paramount Theatre and encouraged him to change his stage name because he reckoned it was not memorable. He could not settle on his birth name since it was too long, so he eventually landed on Tony Bennett.

One of Bennett's most loved songs was "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." His long-standing career earned him 19 Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award. He also sold about 50 million records.

In the announcement of his death, a Twitter post stated that Bennett still sang by his piano, and one of the last songs he performed was "Because of You," his first number-one hit.

Tony Bennett's Battle with Alzheimer's

Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2016, but his family kept it private for four years. His wife, Susan Benedetto, also his full-time caregiver, remembered the day the singer realized something was wrong.

She said they had just gotten home after a show, and Bennett mentioned that he could not remember some of the musicians. Susan thought it was normal for someone in their mid 80's, but the singer insisted that it was something more serious.

Shortly after that incident, the award-winning singer was diagnosed. His wife explained that they kept his condition a secret because the "Body and Soul" singer wanted to entertain his audience without them knowing he had a problem.

But as time went on, it became obvious that something was wrong with Bennett. Nonetheless, Alzheimer's never took away his love for his music and fans. The singer would still be friendly every time his supporters greeted him.

One of his last public moments was when the singer was photographed in a wheelchair on a sunny day in New York. He wore a pale blue T-shirt and dark blue sweatpants. He was being wheeled around by one of his caretakers in Manhattan just a few weeks before his passing.

A source that saw the singer in the park said only a few people noticed him. Although people might not have noticed Bennett during his outing, he was a proud New Yorker and had a bench with his name on it in Central Park, which was also reportedly one of his favorite spots to sit in the afternoons.

One fan of his even left a bouquet and note on the bench expressing how much they would miss seeing Bennett in the park. Another person who saw Bennett during his outing said the singer was still friendly, "he was smiling, but you knew he was not all there," they said.

Towards the end of his life, Bennett reportedly could not hold a conversation anymore, but he had physiotherapists visiting him daily. A neurologist, Gayatri Devi, who diagnosed the singer with Alzheimer's in 2016, spoke about the immense support system that Bennett was lucky to have during this time.

Devi credited his wife and her dedication to caring for her husband. The doctor said she expected a lot from Bennett and believed that her background as a teacher helped him to still be the loved singer he was.

Even through the difficult time, the doctor still saw the love Susan and Bennett shared. She kept him protected at all times and reminded him of who he was outside of the disease he battled.

Devi remembered times when fans would recognize Bennett, and Susan would be there to tell him, "Tony B! A fan of yours is saying hello!" The singer would immediately beam with a smile and activate his charm.

The doctor said Bennett always knew who he was to the world, so even at his worst, he knew how to snap out of it and behave the way Tony Bennett was meant to behave.

The disease might have taken a lot from Bennett, but it did not take away his memory of his wife and children. "He recognizes me, thank goodness, his children, you know, we are blessed in a lot of ways," Susan said.

She also added that he went to bed each evening, told her he loved her and woke up to remind her of his love again. The Grammy award-winning artist loved music until his last breath, "Singing is everything to him. Everything. It has saved his life many times." remarked his wife.

Bennett's death will be felt by most, but now the world with continue to appreciate the memorable songs he left behind.