used his signature humour to pretend to be the grim reaper to comfort a sick child.
The late TV presenter died ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ on March 28, prompting from the entertainment world and the royal family.
O’Grady’s widower Andre Portasio, 42, has revealed that he once took on the role of the berobed skeleton who serves as the personification of death for a call to make a young boy laugh before he passed away.
‘This young boy was very ill and he had only a few hours to live,’ he shared.
He added to the : ‘Paul called him and said, “Hello this is Paul O’Grady, it’s very nice to speak to you. You know me for my day job but what you don’t know of me is I also work as the grim reaper.
“I’ve spoken to my boss and tonight is not your night. You have so much more to live and to enjoy and to experience.”‘
Andre, who married O’Grady in 2017, confirmed the heartbreaking news of his husband’s death earlier this year.
‘It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening,’ he said in a statement at the time.
‘We ask, at this difficult time, that whilst you celebrate his life you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss.
‘He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.
‘I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years.’
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, of which O’Grady was an ambassador since 2012, posted a remembrance post on what would’ve been O’Grady’s 68th birthday last month.
Taking to Twitter, they wrote: ‘Today, on his birthday, we celebrate our late Ambassador Paul O’Grady.
‘Paul was a lover of animals, an icon, and a dear friend of Battersea. Paul will always be remembered as a hero to us and to rescue animals everywhere.’
