John Lydon has disclosed that he keeps the ashes of his late wife, Nora Forster, next to his bed in a cupboard where he sleeps. This revelation comes three months after Forster passed away due to Alzheimer’s disease. The 67-year-old former frontman of the Sex Pistols took on the role of Forster’s full-time caretaker after she was diagnosed with the illness. In an interview published on Saturday (8 July), Lydon, also known as Jonny Rotten, candidly discussed the challenges of grieving for his wife of nearly fifty years.
Lydon expressed that coping with the loss has proven to be much more difficult than he initially anticipated. He admitted, “I thought I would be able to handle this side of it, but if anything, it is worse.” Sharing his unconventional sleeping arrangement, he revealed, “I prefer to sleep with Nora’s ashes in the cupboard beside my bed because I don’t expect to meet her again in this lifetime. And if there is an afterlife…”
He further added, “Some of the rules I haven’t been adhering to might pose a problem. It doesn’t bode well!” Lydon and Forster exchanged vows in 1979 and, although they did not have biological children together, Lydon became a stepfather to Forster’s daughter, Ariane, who went by the stage name Ari Up. Tragically, Ariane lost her life to breast cancer at the age of 48 in October 2010.
In the year 2000, Lydon and Forster became the legal guardians of Ariane’s twin sons after the singer found it challenging to cope with the responsibility. Additionally, they took in Forster’s youngest son, Wilton, following his mother’s passing. Reflecting on their relationship and how they managed to navigate the challenges of fame, Lydon remarked, “I’ve witnessed relationships crumble around me, especially when fame is involved. I can’t help but feel that people were too casual about their life partners. Nora and I had our fair share of arguments, but they were so intense that they made life meaningful. We were always honest and transparent with each other.”
Expressing his current loneliness, Lydon lamented, “Now I find myself alone in an empty house, constantly reminded of Marc Almond’s rendition of ‘The House Is Haunted by the Echo of Your Last Goodbye.’ I might as well go back on tour.” When announcing Forster’s passing on Twitter, a statement conveyed the sorrowful news: “It is with great sadness that we share the news of Nora Forster’s passing, John Lydon’s beloved wife of nearly several decades. Nora had been battling Alzheimer’s for a number of years, during which John had dedicated himself as her full-time caregiver. Please respect John’s grief and provide him the space he needs. Rest in peace, Nora.”
Forster was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2018. In a tearful appearance on This Morning in January, Lydon expressed, “She requires round-the-clock attention, and I’m more than willing to provide that because the life she has given me until now has been incredible.” This year, the singer-songwriter announced that his band, Public Image Ltd, submitted their ballad “Hawaii” to the Eurovision song contest, intending to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s. The song was a heartfelt tribute to Forster. Lydon acknowledged the emotional challenge of performing the song live, being away from his wife, saying, “It brings tears to my eyes even thinking about it. But I have to do it.”
Unfortunately, Lydon’s bid to represent Ireland in the competition was unsuccessful. PiL’s song finished in fourth place among the six finalists, with the winning song, “We Are One,” performed by the band Wild Youth. According to the Office for National Statistics, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia were the leading causes of death in the UK in 2022. Recently, TV presenter Fiona Phillips revealed her own Alzheimer’s diagnosis and expressed her decision to speak openly about it to combat the stigma associated with the disease.