Actress Patricia Neal, who won an Academy Award for her role in the 1963 movie “Hud”, died after a long battle with lung cancer surrounded by her family at her Martha’s Vineyard home in Edgartown, Massachusetts on Sunday (August 8). She was 84 years old.

Patricia had a very complicated life marked by tragedy. She was married with British writer Roald Dahl, with whom she had five children, for more than 30 years. The actress reportedly had an affair with her “The Fountainhead” and “Bright Leaf” co-star Gary Cooper.

“I almost died many times from broken hearts -… when my daughter Olivia died, when my baby son Theo was hit by a car, and when I had my strokes. There were many who didn’t think I would pull through,” said Neal in her biography.

“I had to have an operation that lasted seven hours, and I know very well my doctor thought I would conk out in the middle of it; but as I told him later, we Tennessee hillbillies don’t conk that easy, so I stayed alive.”

“I’ve learned many lessons in life, but the most important is this – be tenacious and determined, even in old age,” said Neal. “I don’t like getting older. I thought I would, but it has turned out differently than I expected. Lately I’ve had both my shoulder and my knee replaced. So, what should I be happy about? I’ll tell you – it is nice to be able to get these things fixed!”

R.I.P. Patricia Neal.

[image: PNP/wenn.com]