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July 23, 2007

Tammy Faye's Closest Friends Reveal Her Final Hours


Tammy Faye Messner may have passed away, but her legend lives on.

Already, her website has been turned into a memorial page as people from across the world leave messages of sadness and joy, remembering the woman whose bright spirit could not be dimmed by cancer.

Her son Jay posted this message about his mother in her final hours: "She had a peaceful death and is no longer in pain."

Tammy passed away after battling cancer for more than a decade.

But mortality was no surprise to the faithful Christian evangelist, who said on "Larry King Live" that she knew exactly where she was going.

"I believe when I leave this earth, I'm going straight to heaven," Tammy told King.

Just 48 hours later, her last words came true. She passed away peacefully with her husband Roe by her side.

Tammy's former husband, televangelist Jim Bakker, is now speaking out. He posted a tribute on a webcast saying, "She lived life liked the song she sang. If life hands you a lemon, make lemonade."

Rapper Vanilla Ice, who co-stared with Tammy on "The Surreal Life," is revealing exclusively to "Extra" his poignant tale about his frantic attempt to reach her after seeing her saddening appearance on "Larry King."

"I got a hold of her manager," recalls the rapper. But he was never able to see his friend before she died.

"I'm shocked," he said. "I was going to see her, and I didn't even get a chance for that."

But he said Tammy's legacy will never be forgotten.

"The world needs more people like her," he insisted. "A total sweetheart. She's going to be missed."

He adds, "When you’re looking at death, and you can be that strong – that’s something to admire.”

Today, "Extra" learned that Tammy's family might be making an appearance on television. If Jim Bakker or any of their children decide to talk publicly, it will reportedly be to Larry King.

"Extra" wants to know: what will you remember most about Tammy Faye? Post your comments here.


NEXT: Star Secrets from the Beckham Bash Revealed

 

AGAIN TO THE PERSON WHOP SAY’S SHE IS BURNING IN HELL- GO READ HISTORY. The dog house was an old man made shabby wood dog house. NO GOLD FIXTURES, THAT IS PROVEN…YOUR COMMENT IS SADLY FALSE, CRUEL, AND VERY HURTFUL TO THOSE WHO LOVE TAMMY FAYE AND ESPECIALLY TO HER HUSBAND ACD CHILDREN,MAY YOU FIND PEACE .


- GREG
Posted 08/23/07 04:14 PM
 

I am appaled at the misconception that so many have of Tammy Faye, Yet I am so Happy to see the post of how She touched so many in such a great way. !
I was never ask by Tammy Faye to send one dime to Her, or to anything She was involved with. I think if memory serves me correct, it was not Tammy Faye that was charged in any crime. I do not think what happened to Jim Bakker Her then husband was one bit fair. If you only put both of their books, togeather and read them ,you would know very well that their intentions were only to allow for you to enjoy a place of Joy, and Saftey. Tammy Faye was a giver, and to read the grumblings of how well she lived, I just want one person to tell Me ,did you ever go into Her house, did you ever eat from her table, did you ever give to Her. Well I can tell you that She gave to me and the gifts were so very special and would come at a time when I needed a friendly gift from anyone, let alone it be Tammy Faye, But again She gave to you and I ,in her last hours on earth, She gave Her love, and her time hours before her time here on earth expired. I find it so sad that so many cannot enjoy the funny, true, and Joyous, Lady who gave, and gave abundntly just hours before she left us. Larry King’s Live can show this to be true.
Just watch it and see Her love for you.
I am greatful I have my health, and give thanks to God for such a great witness that YEP YOU CAN MAKE IT.
Greg


- GREG
Posted 08/23/07 04:04 PM
 

Why is everyone so cencerned about whether or not Tammy Faye was a true Christian.
IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!!
Her beliefs are between God and her.
Jesus is the one who judges. Let him decide if she was faithful or not.
You are not the ones who will have to answer for living her life so leave it alone. Thank You


- C The Truth
Posted 07/31/07 10:56 AM
 

how come God forgives in a twinkle of a an eye and for man its takes a life time>

rest now tammy your job is done…..


- Steven Smith
Posted 07/28/07 10:15 AM
 

As a gay teen in the early 1980’s, I was outed to my parents. They automatically assumed I had AIDS and would infect them, my brother and sister. I was immediately kicked out of the family. They believed I was lost and going to hell. Then they began watching Tammy Faye on Christian television telling the world that AIDS was not God’s wrath. All Christian’s, especially parents, should love, not hate God’s gay children. God made them that way, God loves them and God does not make junk. It completely changed my parents. They accepted me, let me come home and became supportive, too. God spoke through Tammy Faye and for me, changed the world. I will ALWAYS Love her. God Bless You, Tammy Faye


- John
Posted 07/28/07 08:49 AM
 

An earlier post nailed it: We Americans CERTAINLY do have SHORT memories. She was a T.V. “entertainer” hiding under the guise of a “Christian”, while milking the old, lonely, bedridden, etc. She never got a dime from me-nor do ANY of these current “Christian” television personalities living in multi-million-dollar gated communities, sending their kids to the best of private schools, etc. while touting what all they are doing for the “starving” children overseas! The “mark” of a “true” Christian is one who goes “without”, who literally “sacrifices” (a bigger car, nicer home, dinner out, etc.) in order to help another fellow human being!


- Victoria
Posted 07/25/07 11:56 PM
 

I find it rather interesting that there are apparently so many flawless people out there in the world! How heart breaking that none of you choose to share the secret of your walk of perfection with the rest of us. It’s so easy for all of us to look at someone on television and magazines, and forget that they are real people with families who love them. I wonder how many of us would carry ourselves with our lives under such scrutiny? I know that as a Christian, it’s not my place to judge her. God loves us—-warts and all. I believe that He never puts more on us than we can bear, and I think that regardless of your opinion of her, Tammy Faye exuded grace and dignity in the face of death. That’s simply because she knew where she was going—and that she was FORGIVEN!! I’ll bet if anyone ever sat across the table from her, she would not have denied that mistakes were made. None of us can undo what we do or say. What does it do for a person—or say about their character—that they have nothing better to do with their time than to ridicule and slander a dead woman? No one’s saying she was perfect, but give her a break! She’s gone now, so why not consider showing some compassion to her grieving family?! My heart goes out to them all, and I am still in awe of her unwaivering faith. Shame on all of you who choose to take such a difficult time for her family to be so hateful.


- Melinda
Posted 07/25/07 05:01 PM
 

I did not know Tammy but my thoughts and prayes go out to the family. Im sorry that you lost someone so dear to your hearts.


Sherry Gray


- Sherry Gray
Posted 07/24/07 11:45 AM
 

How is it possible that anyone can look beyond how she chose to relentlessly pursue fame, glory, money and how she used men and tv and God to do it? It is pretty easy to seem strong in the face of what I believe is God-given cancer when you can appear any which way on camera to garner sympathy, empathy and anything else that works in your favor for your whole career? Are people really that blind, lazy and stupid? She was a great actor. Phenomenal actually. I can see from the posts’ grammar and spelling that there are some more uneducated people responding, but they are the people her lot targets, those lacking in resources and a basic understanding of what really goes on with the Bakers and the motives of those like them.
I am more amazed at her educated yet blind followers who choose to look just at the surface of what she says and not at the past and what she has done. She is the lowest of the low, she preyed on those looking for a solid path and used “faith” as a buzzword to make her fortune. Does anyone else see the duplicity of her message? Of her life? Of her legacy, such as it is? Egads, the woman changed her tune depending on the audience to which she wanted to appeal. Hello, that is not the marker of a devout woman. It is the marker of a fame-monger and a snake-oil salesman. Sheesh. Get your heads out, people. Move on and learn that teachers of the Word of the Lord do not profit monetarily, they gain joy and love and peace and live modestly mostly anonymous lives. And they seek forgiveness not by word but by deed and example.


- incredulous
Posted 07/24/07 09:23 AM
 

People are always charming and loving and kind and smiling when they have their hand in your pocket. I have never met a successful and yet still surly offputting scam artist, duhhh. Obviously she would be smiling and full of positivity and hope and radiate light, she was taking something from you. Remember the Garden of Eden? The snake did not bite Eve to force her to taste the forbidden fruit, he seduced her with charm and promises and she went for it. Charmers like Tammy Faye are a dime a dozen, she just did it with much more flourish and flare and personality. She was a little energetic powerhouse and those who are in the same demonic game could learn from her for sure.


- aware
Posted 07/24/07 08:13 AM
 

she was a good woman. and todays life people should make thers better.


- lynn
Posted 07/24/07 08:02 AM
 

There is a special place in Hell for those who use the Lord God to make money and achieve fame and notoriety for themselves, especially when it is at the expense of others or lavish and runs afoul of moral judgment. I agree with previous posts. Tammy Faye can just make a nice cheery optimistic little home for herself there and wait for Falwell, Robertson, Jesse Jackson, Sharpton and a personal favorite, Osteen. Look past the Prada and see the predator. Greed and duplicity knows no bounds, religion or color. Know ye well your religious leaders that they not speak the Lord’s Word with the devil’s tongue.


- skeptical
Posted 07/24/07 08:00 AM
 

she was a good woman. and today lifes people sould make there life better. and not worry about her makeup.


- lynnette
Posted 07/24/07 07:59 AM
 

How can anyone be so ignorant and so blind as to support a women who used the Lord for personal gain and fraud? How can anyone say she preached G-d’s love when she defrauded millions of dollars from innocent people and feigned ignorance? How could anyone believe her when she said she had no idea what went on with BOTH of her jailbird husbands when she herself saw the house in which she lived and the lavish lifestyle to which she became accustomed at the expense of thousands of trusting people with real faith and misguided trust? How can anyone take her seriously when she became a caracicature of a preacher’s wife and a cartoon of what she proclaimed to be? We choose to be easily fooled and we are lazy when we do not look beyond words to deeds and history. She made no attempt to rectify what she had done, just cried her mascara-stained tears and asked for forgiveness, wah wah wahhhh. And people fell for it like weak, lame losers who are too eager to follow and listen and be manipulated by blatant empty charisma and hearing what they want to hear rather than taking the time to investigate truth and demand justice. I cannot believe what a lack of real leaders there are and how easily we follow the lost. May G-d have mercy on her evil soul.


- sigh
Posted 07/24/07 07:21 AM
 

Ok, you can forgive someone without glorifying their evil deeds in forgiveness. I never met a person who wears that much makeup without some psychology involved…over the years she wore more and more as she had more and more to hide. She used false proclamations of ignorance and innocence and lame appeals for understanding and faith to bilk the old, the lonely, the alone and the uneducated searchers. It is disgusting and amoral and she is burning as we speak. But I forgive her. I just will never speak well of someone who did the audacious things she did in the name of the Lord. I am sure he is showing mercy on her soul but she is still burning from using Him to profit. Money is the root of all evil and she surrounded herself with it using Him to get it and hiding behind her evil husbands. I am appalled that it warranted press coverage. Hey CNN, go interview the people from whom she stole and ask them about how they feel and felt losing their savings while Tammy Fraud lined her DOGHOUSE with gold fixtures and air conditioning. I am sickened. We all make mistakes but she made them over and over and made no restitution to those she bilked, instead continuing to latch her cart to men who stole and she sat back and profited. Sick Sick Sick. If she had made ANY attempt to stay out of the limelight and use her time to pay back those people she stole from, I would have a bit of compassion. She did everything she could to greedily attain more wealth and fame, such as it was, even going on the Surreal Life. SICK SICK SICK. I cannot even begin to express how frustrating it is to read supportive notes from “fans” when they are not looking at the whole picture. SICK SICK SICK.


- EW
Posted 07/24/07 06:59 AM
 

Tammy Faye was an amazing person. I admire her wit and charm. She held her head high and always kept her beautiful smile. I loved her comment about being remembered for her eyelashes. It’s funny but, many people will remember her for that. I’ve had cancer and I hope if I ever need to, I can be as strong as her. God bless you Tammy and rest in peace.


- Joanne
Posted 07/24/07 03:57 AM
 

I admire Tammy, because she loved the Lord even though she had the fame and money. She’s not perfect… nobody is, but she had faith, and that’s why she knew where she was going and wasn’t afraid of death. So many people are afraid of death especially when they hear about tragedies like 9/11. So many people are trying to look younger and not age by plastic surgery, dressing and talking differently and so much more. It’s sad. Aging should be beautiful, because it’s natural. Why would you try to stop something that’s supposed to happen? That’s like stopping a baby from walking for the first time. Go with the flow and have faith. We all have a maker and were put on this earth for a reason, to serve the Lord and praise Him for all the good He does and for being our Lord and Savior. People might say that God doesn’t exist, because there isn’t proof. Where’s the proof that he doesn’t exist? That’s why it’s called FAITH. In this crazy and TEMPORARY life with illness and disease and aging and death and sadness, I’d rather believe in God than not believe. Wouldn’t you? You can die tomorrow, and then what? Do you have proof that you’re going to be one with the earth when you die and live in the afterlife and be a tree? (I heard that from Dane Cook). We’re living in uncertain times and need to have faith in God or else we would lose our minds. If we don’t have faith, how can we understand when a close family member passes away or a close friend or even us? It’s mindblowing to think that we can die or that someone close to us can die or has died. How can they be with us one day and gone the next? Faith in God is the answer. If you don’t have the Lord, you will lose your mind thinking, why? why? why? Do you want to live 50, 70 years or eternity in Heaven? Faith. When it really comes down to it, does money make you happy? Material things? It might for a second, but they’re temporary people. Worldly things come and go. Tammy’s not perfect, but she had Faith, and she should be an example for everybody especially those in that industry. God is our maker and creator. Make up your mind and think hard. Really think before it’s too late. I hope this touches somebody. Those who laugh at this… You don’t know if you’ll be here tomorrow. You’re not the ones in charge of your life and doctors can only do so much. Your heart might stop beating or you might get in a car accident. Where will you go? What will happen to you? What do you believe? Does something tragic have to happen to open your eyes? Faith is believing. I’d rather believe in God than not believe especially in this uncertain and temporary life of ours. My heart goes out to Tammy’s family, but remember that she is in a better place, she isn’t in pain anymore, and you will be with her up in heaven soon. God bless.


- Anonymous
Posted 07/24/07 01:55 AM
 

Tammy was a pretty woman in my eyes even with all that makeup on she is loved by all her fans and will be miss and at least she isn’t in pain in more.. and what she said on Larry king about when she does die she knows she is going to haven so true god got a new pretty angel Tammy we love u and wish ur family nothing but the best we know u are looking down on them and are happy that your not in pain any more


- Stacie
Posted 07/23/07 11:51 PM
 

MY DEAREST TAMMY,
I’M SO GLAD YOUR OUT OFF PAIN HUN! I AM A CACNCER SURVIVIOR STILL WITH NO SAFETY NET!I WATCHED YOU ON THE SERREAL LIFE AND YOU WERE SO , FORGIVING AND EXCEPTED PEOPLE ALL WALKS OF LIFE!NEVER EVER MY SISTER JUST PAST AT THE AGE OF 44, EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE ME. I AM SO HAPPY YOUR WITH GOD AND YOU HAVE NO MORE PAIN HUN I TRULY DO TAMMY! JUST LIKE YOU I WAS ABOUT 83 POUNDS & THEY WANTED TO PUT A FEEDING TUBE AND A TRACHE,, AT THAT POINT,, I SAID NO,, & LOOKED LIKE THE LIVING DEAD TO FAMILY & FRIENDS. MY STREANGTH MY MY SON, & BELIEF IN THE LORD. I’M GLAD YOU IN THE AFTER LIFE WITH THE LORD & AM PAIN FREE FINALLY,, I PERSONALLY WILL REMEMBER YOU AS THE LADY WITH LASHES & HEART OF GOLD ! I LOVEY YOU
ALWAYS TAMMY,
PLEASE SAY HI TO
MY SIS LISA HER 1ST
ANIVERSARY WAS THE
20TH!
YOU ARE MENTOR TAMMY
LOVE ALWAYS ,CINDY! OXOXOOOX


- CINDY
Posted 07/23/07 10:09 PM
 

tammy faye will always be rememered. If any one trys to change that that will be really mest up. Every one knew tammy faye as ms.jokey and thats who she will be remebered of. i have great respect for my
girl ms.tammy faye.

i will miss her alot


but atleast see is not in pain no more


- majestic mcconico
Posted 07/23/07 08:20 PM

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