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Singer-songwriter John Lydon's wife, Nora Forster, passed away on April 6, 2023, at the age of 80. Forster was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, which may have led to her death. Lydon's management team confirmed the news on Twitter by sharing a picture of Nora with John and wrote:
"It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news that Nora Forster – John Lydon's wife of nearly 5 decades – has passed away. Nora had been living with Alzheimer's for several years. In which time John had become her full time carer."
Another post was shared on Lydon's Twitter account where the management team requested everyone to give him some space and privacy while he mourns the loss of his wife.
Nora Forster gained recognition as an actress and model
Nora Forster developed an interest in music at a young age and joined the media company of her father, Der Spiegel, after completing her schooling. She later became the company's publishing heiress and earned $120 million from her father's fortune following his demise.
Forster started her career as a music promoter and worked with different acts in Germany. She hosted many musician house guests like Neneh Cherry and lent her vocals to the band The Slits.
Her residence in Shepherd's Bush soon became a meeting spot for rock musicians from the 60s and offered financial help to bands like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and more. She later promoted music gatherings in London in the 70s.
She was romantically linked to guitarist and record producer Chris Spedding. She then married singer Frank Foster, with whom she had a daughter, Ariane. Nora and John Lydon first met in 1975 and tied the knot in 1979. The duo became guardians of Ariane's kids, who passed away due to breast cancer in 2010.
John Lydon took care of Nora Forster after her Alzheimer's diagnosis
Nora Forster was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2018, which she revealed during a radio interview the same year. John Lydon decided to take care of her, and things were difficult for the duo during the Covid-19 pandemic as John tried his best to ensure that Nora does not feel lonely.
Lydon spoke to the Guardian in June 2022 and said that the 2020 lockdown was "soul-destroying" for Nora. He added:
"She's always been very gregarious so she couldn't understand why nobody was coming around, and the few that did had to have face masks on. It was very bad."
Lydon has previously struggled with meningitis, leading to memory loss alongside damaged eyesight and curvature of the spine. He was hospitalized at the time but the experience helped him understand his wife's condition. He said that he understood the fear of isolation and what it was like to feel frightened.
During his recent appearance on the sixth season of The Masked Singer, John Lydon said that the reason for joining the show was to make his wife smile. Stating that he and Nora have been married for 45 years, he said:
"And no sadness, you know, because [we're] at a certain point now in our lives where she's suffering from Alzheimer's, and it's my job as her main protector and love of my life to look after her, and she will love this."
Nora Forster is survived by her husband and Ari Up's three children.
