John Lydon announces death of wife Nora Forster aged 80

Nora Forster, the wife of singer John Lydon, has died aged 80 after living with Alzheimer’s disease for several years.

The 67-year-old former Sex Pistols frontman, also known by his stage name Johnny Rotten, was his wife’s full-time carer following the diagnosis.

A statement posted on Lydon’s Twitter, said: “It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news that Nora Forster – John Lydon’s wife of nearly five decades – has passed away.

“Nora had been living with Alzheimer’s for several years. In which time John had become her full-time carer."

Lydon has raised awareness of the condition through his recent attempt to represent Ireland at Eurovision 2023 with a song he dedicated to Forster.

Forster was the daughter of wealthy German publisher Franz Karl Maier who worked for news outlets including Der Spiegel and Der Tagesspiegel.

Lydon has said he first met Forster in 1975 at the late artist Malcolm McLaren’s clothing shop which he owned with Vivienne Westwood in London.

In January, Lydon told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that they had been together for 45 years.

His Eurovision bid song was titled Hawaii in tribute to a trip they took together, as he said it was a memory that stood out in her mind.

“As I say in the song, old journeys end and some begin again, but this is the beginning of a new journey with us,” he said.

“And, oddly enough, as bad as Alzheimer’s is, there are great moments of tenderness between us. And I tried to capture that in the song, and so it’s not all waiting for the Grim Reaper.

“I can see her personality in her eyes, she lets me know that it’s the communication skills that are letting her down.

“And I’m just blessed really that I can be there and catch on to that and maybe share that information as this progresses, as we know it will, to its ultimate sad demise."

In the UK, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is the name for a group of symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain function, according to the NHS website.

The condition can affect memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities.

It's normal for your memory to be affected by stress, tiredness, certain illnesses and medicines.

But if you're becoming increasingly forgetful, particularly if you're over the age of 65, it's a good idea to talk to a GP about the early signs of dementia.

To find out more and get support, visit the NHS website or Dementia UK.

Dementia UK's Helpline is free to call on 0800 888 6678 for support.

Forster was also the mother of the late musician Ari-Up, best known as a member of the English punk rock band the Slits, who died in 2010 after a “serious illness”, according to Lydon’s website.

Following the news, the chief admiral nurse and chief executive at Dementia UK, Hilda Hayo, said: “We’re sorry to hear that John’s wife Nora has died having lived with Alzheimer’s for several years and send our condolences to him and his family.

“John has raised a huge amount of awareness around the impact that a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can have through his work in recent months.

"Through sharing his personal experience, he will no doubt have helped others seek the support they need.

“We urge families affected by dementia to reach out to our specialist helpline.”

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