In the moments leading to his passing, the legendary Yankee player Joe DiMaggio expressed his deep desire to reunite with his beloved, Marilyn Monroe.
According to his attorney Morris Engelberg, who shared the account in Vanity Fair's September edition, DiMaggio's parting words were filled with anticipation as he uttered, “I'll finally get to see Marilyn.”
Engelberg, who had been DiMaggio's financial advisor for 16 years and was present at the baseball icon's bedside in Florida during his final moments in March 1999, revealed that DiMaggio never truly moved on from the tragic loss of Monroe.
Recalling the Yankee Clipper's emotional turmoil, Engelberg mentioned how DiMaggio experienced intense mood swings daily due to his grief.
Whenever questioned about his distress, DiMaggio would cryptically respond with, “Don't you know?”
Despite marrying Monroe in 1954, their union crumbled within nine months over disputes regarding Monroe's provocative film roles before her untimely death in 1962.
Engelberg disclosed that he orchestrated numerous business deals that propelled DiMaggio to immense wealth through card shows and autograph signings, all while ensuring that locations they frequented did not display any images of Monroe, a painful reminder for the baseball legend.
Expressing a peculiar sentiment, Engelberg confessed to deriving a sense of fulfillment from his close relationship with DiMaggio.
He remarked, “You know what's so sick about this?
I enjoyed it.
The great Joe DiMaggio took me into his life.”
Furthermore, Engelberg detailed DiMaggio's unfounded belief that Frank Sinatra and the Kennedys played a role in Monroe's demise, accusing Sinatra of orchestrating connections with JFK and Bobby Kennedy in exchange for perceived political favors, branding the singer as a “pimp.”
Despite facing criticism from some of DiMaggio's acquaintances labeling him an opportunist, Engelberg clarified that he never billed the baseball icon for his assistance.
He went above and beyond, from purchasing DiMaggio's favorite bagels at dawn to enduring long drives in inclement weather to fix his cable TV reception.
Reflecting on his bond with DiMaggio, Engelberg acknowledged the power dynamics but emphasized the profound impact the baseball legend had