In a new interview with the Star Tribune, Tyka Nelson opened up about her final conversations with her brother, Prince, before his passing. She shed light on his state of mind during his illness and revealed subtle signs that something was amiss:
“He kept avoiding questions. I kept getting mad. I felt like, ‘Talk to me for two seconds.’ He’d change the subject, make a joke, and then we’d both laugh.”
“He asked me to find more information about our family. Prince wanted me to find Sharon’s number. I didn’t question it. It was like, ‘Send this picture to that person.’ OK. What for?”
These requests left Tyka puzzled, suggesting Prince might have sensed something was wrong and wanted to reconnect with family before it was too late.
Discussions Between Tyka and Prince
The siblings often avoided serious discussions, instead reminiscing about their parents. Tyka noted that Prince played the piano similarly to their father and joked that he had their mother’s physique.
Reflecting on their last interactions, Tyka mentioned she hadn’t noticed any significant health issues but did feel he had lost weight when she hugged him:
“A couple of times I said, ‘How are you really?’ He didn’t go into anything with me. That was bothering me, and he knew it was… but that was all he wanted to tell me.”
Their final conversation occurred over the phone a few days before Prince’s death.
Prince Ignored Medical Advice
On April 14, 2016, Prince performed his last concert in Atlanta, playing classics like ‘When Doves Cry’ and covering Joni Mitchell’s ‘A Case of You.’ The following morning, while flying back to Minnesota, he became unresponsive, prompting an emergency landing. He dismissed medical advice, attributing his condition to dehydration. Shortly after, he had his last chat with Tyka.
On April 21, 2016, Prince passed away due to an accidental overdose of fentanyl at his Paisley Park home in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
