Carly Simon Says “Goodbye” to her sister Joanna

Carly Simon mourns sisters Joanna and Lucy, who died of cancer a day apart

Photo: Supplied

The former teen pop diva’s last words in hospital were a heartfelt “goodbye” from the man who was her father.

At six o’clock last night, while standing outside of the Melbourne hospital where her mother, wife and sister died of cancer yesterday, Carly Simon was asked if she wanted to say goodbye.

The Grammy and triple platinum recording artist didn’t hesitate for a second. She stood tall, wrapped her arms tightly around her body, and said a very familiar and moving goodbye.

“Goodbye love. Goodbye family. I love you. Goodbye Gram. Goodbye Gram. Farewell Gram.”

The only member of her family to have lived to see an anniversary of her birth, Simon was surrounded on the hospital’s steps by friends, family and family members of the four women, who all died on the same day and from the same cancer, as one of them had died from melanoma. A quick family photo was taken, before Simon returned to the hospital alone, leaving her mother’s family behind.

Later, she posted a short statement on Facebook. With one-and-a-half million “shares” on Facebook, Simon had left just her sister Joanna’s family in the company of family and friends, with her last words: “RIP Joanna, Lucy and Carly Simon. Goodnight Gram, Gram and Gram.”

Simon’s sister Joanna died three days before Carly Simon had lost her other two daughters, who died at the same time, to cancer within a year of each other.

“Joanna was my best friend. She was like my own little sister,” Simon said. “She was the sister I always dreamed of having. She was with us 24/7 for 19 years, and she had a huge impact on every aspect of my life.”

In a Facebook video that accompanied her tribute, Simon thanked the hospital staff at Camberwell for what she called a “wonderful 24 hours” with her family and friends: “I’m very grateful to everyone here at the hospital and to all of you

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