What Audrey Hepburn Gave Her Loved Ones As A Memento Before Her Death

Watch any one of classic Hollywood film star Audrey Hepburn's movies, like "Roman Holiday" or "Breakfast at Tiffany's," and you just might find yourself crying (via Biography). After Hepburn stepped away from acting, that generosity of spirit she showed in some of her most well-known roles was reflected in her work with the international humanitarian agency UNICEF. After her cancer diagnosis in 1992, details from the final few days of Hepburn's life, and the gifts she chose to give her loved ones to remember her by, reveal that the emotions brought about by Hepburn's on-screen performances extended beyond her movie roles, as People explains.

Born in Belgium, the "Gigi" star died in Switzerland from colon cancer (per The Washington Post). As those close to the actress revealed, she expressed fear over the pain she might experience, but that she was otherwise unafraid for her life to end. Most important for the star, who died early in 1993, was to go home to Switzerland one last time, where she would spend her final Christmas with her partner, Robert Wolders; a close personal friend, Hubert de Givenchy; and her son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer. It was there that Hepburn gave three touching Christmas gifts to a few people closest to her.

It's unsurprising that Hepburn would choose to give meaningful Christmas gifts to a trio of loved ones as they spent their last Christmas together. Born in 1929 in Belgium, she grew up and studied dance in England, the Netherlands, and finally Amsterdam before she made her transition to Hollywood (via Biography). While still in Europe, Hepburn volunteered as a spy for the Dutch resistance during World War II, according to New York Post reporting. After she made her name in Hollywood, that humanitarian spirit in Hepburn resurfaced through her work with the humanitarian aid agency UNICEF.

What motivated Hepburn to work with the international children's health organization after she retired from acting was a memory she had from when she was a young girl during World War II in the winter of 1944, as UNICEF explains on their website. In that cold dark winter — the same season the frigid Battle of the Bulge took place in Belgium's Ardennes region, as History points out —  Hepburn herself received UNICEF's help as a child in need. It was perhaps that memory that inspired the star to give her last, warmhearted Christmas gift.

With the cold winter of 1944 perhaps on her mind, Hepburn chose to give three warm winter coats: one each to her son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, to friend Hubert de Givenchy, and to her partner, Robert Wolders, as People goes on to note. Hepburn was effectively on life support at that point and might not have survived a commercial flight. Instead, she made it to Switzerland on de Givenchy's private jet. Up until her cancer diagnosis, Hepburn continued her work with UNICEF and expressed regret that she would no longer be of service to the agency, Wolders also said. Hepburn was in Somalia on behalf of UNICEF as late as 1992. 

Fittingly, then, Hepburn chose to give three of her closest loved ones something useful like a winter coat as her final Christmas present. According to Wolders (via People) Hepburn said, "Please think of me when you wear them," and she also mentioned that her final Christmas in Switzerland was the best she ever had. Hepburn died in her sleep less than a month later, on January 20, 1993 (per The Washington Post).