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What Occurred When Maria Callas Visited Onassis on His Deathbed (Exclusive)
2024-12-12
Before his passing on March 15, 1975, a significant event took place in Aristotle Onassis' private room at the American Hospital in Paris. Maria Callas made a clandestine visit, leaving a lasting impact. Kiki Feroudi Moutsatsos, his personal secretary at the time, vividly recalls this heart-wrenching moment. She informed that the doctor had given no hope, stating that Onassis was nearly gone and there was no chance of them being together again. This moment was later dramatized in the new biopic "Maria", starring Angelina Jolie as the passionate opera singer.
The Complex Love Triangle
At the time of his death, Onassis was married to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, a relationship that had grown increasingly distant. Simultaneously, he was still involved with Maria Callas, the American-born Greek soprano they had first met in 1957. Moutsatsos played a crucial role in arranging these secret rendezvous over the years. She would carefully time the visits of Onassis' daughter Christina and Jacqueline to inform Maria when it was safe for her to visit. 1: This love triangle was a complex web of emotions and desires. Onassis seemed to have a unique connection with both women. While married to Jacqueline, he couldn't let go of his love for Maria. Their relationship was filled with passion and jealousy, as Maria was often fighting with him over his other involvements. 2: It was a strange dynamic where Onassis seemed to need both women in his life. Maria was a vital part of him, a piece of his being. Their love endured despite the challenges and the presence of other women.The Tragic Aftermath
After Onassis' death at the age of 69 due to respiratory failure from myasthenia gravis complications, Maria was devastated. Moutsatsos describes her as desperate, losing her appetite for life. She didn't want to eat, go out, or speak with friends. Two years earlier, their son Alexander had died in a small plane accident in Athens at the age of 24, and Onassis never recovered from this loss. 1: The death of Alexander had a profound impact on Onassis, and it seemed to affect Maria as well. Their shared grief added to the complexity of their relationship and their subsequent reactions to Onassis' passing. 2: Maria's life after Onassis was a shadow of what it had been. She lived in her own world, consumed by the pain of losing the man she loved. Her death two years later at the age of 53 from a heart attack was a tragic end to a story that had captured the public's imagination.