Ringo Starr became emotional as he recalled the moment he learned John Lennon had been shot, on what would have been the Beatles star's 86th birthday.
Lennon was 40 when he was shot on the steps of his Manhattan home on December 8, 1980. He was rushed to hospital in a police vehicle but was pronounced dead on arrival. Today, October 9, would have been his 86th birthday, with fans marking the occasion by remembering the singer-songwriter.
Lennon was murdered in New York by Mark David Chapman. His Beatles bandmates Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and George Harrison were among those most deeply affected.
Ringo's account of learning the news
In a 1981 interview with Barbara Walters, Ringo described the harrowing moment he learned John had been shot. He said he was in Barbados and was talking on the phone with Francesca Gregorini, daughter of his wife Barbara Bach, when he learned his bandmate had been shot.
"And so, that drove me crazy," Ringo recalled, explaining his initial assumption was that he'd been shot in the leg or arm. "And then, they came back and they said, he's uh, he's dead."
Ringo said he had immediately arranged a flight to New York to be alongside John's wife Yoko Ono, who asked the couple to spend time with her and John's son, Sean, and to "keep him busy". The Beatles legend then requested they 'stop it (the interview) there', visibly struggling to discuss the deeply painful moment, admitting it 'always makes me upset' whenever he reflects on the tragedy.
Final meeting and lasting grief
Ringo went on to recall the final time he'd seen his friend, on November 15, 1980. The pair hadn't seen each other for around a year, and Ringo was staying at the Plaza in New York when John and Yoko popped by.
"And we had such a great time, cause they stayed five hours," Ringo said. "And it didn't matter it was a year between we didn't see each other, it was always fine when we did."
Further into the conversation, Ringo simply stated: "I'm really sad. I still miss John a great deal, I'll always miss him, you know. But it's still brand new."
Concluding his reflections, Ringo remarked: "And then the a****** appeared," referring to killer Mark David Chapman. "There's no understanding it. You think about it, but I'm telling you, you never understand it. The world has lost a wonderful man."
Ringo has subsequently revealed additional details about that devastating moment while discussing his late friend, though he frequently becomes equally emotional as he did four decades ago. He has candidly admitted he continues to miss John Lennon "a great deal" and "every day," recognising the deep and enduring impact of his friend's tragic passing.
Why Chapman killed Lennon
Chapman cited John's controversial remark about the Beatles being 'more popular than Jesus' as his primary motivation for the killing. He was later jailed for life, and remains locked up to this day.
He has been denied parole 14 times. He will next be eligible for release in February next year.
