Tony Bennett's wife Susan Benedetto has opened up for a second time about her husband, who died July 21 aged 96. Speaking with People, the 56-year-old spoke of how "blessed" she felt to have been able to share 16 years of married life (and many more as a couple) with the world-renowned jazz singer.
"I was most certainly blessed to have Tony in my life," said Susan, explaining that the meaning behind Tony's original surname, Benedetto (which she took on marriage), is "the blessed one." She also shared an image of her late husband that showed him sitting admiring the view from their honeymoon villa.
"This is one of my favorite personal photos of Tony, taken during our honeymoon in 2007 in Villa San Michele, in Florence," Susan told People. "Tony, naturally, loved visiting his ancestral homeland, and we spent many summers in Italy over the years, and it was always a special time for us to be together, just the two of us."
She then went on to detail: "Tony would paint all day, and then we would eat pasta, which was his favorite meal," adding, "I love how this photo captured his thoughtful demeanor….everyone knows Tony had heart, but he also was a wonderful soul."
The light from the window in the photo of Tony in Florence is shining on the 'Rags to Riches' singer's face in such a way which really does highlight how he has been captured in a moment of thought.
After news of his death was announced on Friday, Susan made her first statement saying: "Thank you to all the fans, friends and colleagues of Tony’s who celebrated his life and humanity and shared their love of him and his musical legacy.
"From his first performances as a singing waiter in Queens to his last performances in 2021 at Radio City Music Hall, Tony delighted in performing the songs he loved and making people happy," she continued. "And as sad as today has been for all of us we can find joy in Tony’s legacy forever."
Tony and Susan were together from the mid-80s after Susan – then a president of a Tony Bennett fan club in San Francisco – met the star following a concert. They married in 2007 in a private ceremony performed in New York City. The pair never welcomed any children, although Tony was already a father to four kids from his previous two marriages (first to Patricia Beech, with whom he had two sons, and then later to Sandra Grant, with whom he had two daughters) when he met Susan.
The singer's death was announced by a representative on Friday, along with the statement: "Tony Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in Astoria, Queens on August 3, 1926, has passed away in his hometown of New York City at the age of 96 earlier today. The beloved singer, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2016, is survived by his wife, Susan Benedetto, his two sons, Danny and Dae Bennett, his daughters Johanna Bennett and Antonia Bennett and 9 grandchildren."
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