Senior Son Reveals Igor Zolotovitsky’s Final Words of Strength and Wit

Senior Son Reveals Igor Zolotovitsky’s Final Words of Strength and Wit

On January 17, the Main Stage of the Moscow Art Theatre named after A.P. Chekhov bid farewell to Igor Zolotovitsky. The Honored Artist of the Russian Federation passed away after a battle with a severe illness—stomach cancer, which was discovered just six months prior.

The Final Farewell

The death of Igor Yakovlevich was a heavy blow to his loved ones, colleagues, and audience. Tributes and memories of the actor continue to pour in on social media. Until his final months, he fought bravely, continuing to perform on stage despite his pain.

From early morning, people gathered at the Moscow Art Theatre named after A.P. Chekhov to pay their last respects to Igor Yakovlevich. The farewell ceremony was deeply personal and poignant, especially when his sons, Alexander and Alexei, unexpectedly took to the microphone.

Last Words of Strength

Alexei, the elder son, thanked everyone for the love and warmth they showed in bidding farewell to his father. He shared that the most terrifying and inevitable encounter in every person’s life is the encounter with death, which their family had recently faced head-on.

Alexei then recounted a memory of his father’s final moments—a simple yet incredibly powerful moment. He described how, as his father was being taken to intensive care, a doctor asked him how he was feeling. Despite his severe condition, Igor Yakovlevich looked intently at the doctor and responded with a thumbs-up, saying, “Vo!”

This was Igor Zolotovitsky’s final reaction, a lesson in strength, irony, and the ability to hold on until the very end.

Health Struggles and Final Days

In the final months, the actor’s condition deteriorated rapidly. By the end of 2025, it was clear that the disease was progressing swiftly, requiring urgent hospitalization. After another round of chemotherapy in December, his body was too weak. Doctors had to connect him to a ventilator, but the treatment did not yield the expected results. Despite the medical team’s efforts, Igor Yakovlevich’s heart stopped.

Tributes from Colleagues

One of the first to arrive at the farewell ceremony was Andrey Urgant. The actor admitted that he had been closely acquainted and friends with Igor Zolotovitsky for many years, a bond that was so natural and organic it went almost unnoticed. According to Andrey Lvovich, their friendship did not require confirmation or loud words; they were simply always there for each other, supporting one another through various periods of life and career.

Konstantin Khabensky also spoke about what kind of person Igor Zolotovitsky was off-stage. The actor recalled that Zolotovitsky had a rare gift—the ability to instantly make people feel at ease. He effortlessly erased boundaries between ages, statuses, and social roles, creating an atmosphere of trust around him. According to Khabensky, conversations with him were always simple, human, and filled with humor, and any tension would disappear within seconds.

Ivan Urgant, with tears in his eyes, laid flowers, hugged Zolotovitsky’s sons, and kissed his widow’s hand. Speaking from the stage, the host noted that something truly unique happened that day: for so long, Zolotovitsky had been on stage, and yet the audience did not laugh or smile—something that had never happened before. He spoke of how those present witnessed a special, almost miraculous moment, and how incredibly lucky each of them was to see it. Ivan added that it felt as if Igor Yakovlevich was still observing everything, surely noticing this detail and reacting to it with his characteristic irony.

Ivan emphasized that Zolotovitsky always knew how to support those around him during the toughest times. He found the right words to help people cope with losses, farewells to parents, friends, and teachers. In Ivan’s opinion, Igor Yakovlevich reminded everyone that life goes on, and there is always room for light, humor, and kindness.

For more information on stomach cancer, you can refer to authoritative sources such as the American Cancer Society.