Losing a parent is one of the most devastating experiences somebody can go through, and something a person never forgets.
But for Matthew McConaughey, the day his father passed away is unforgettable for a very different reason — one that’s both shocking and, in true McConaughey fashion, oddly humorous.
In his memoir, Greenlights, the Dallas Buyers Club star opened up about his parents' wild relationship, which he described as "like the Pacific Ocean in a storm".
In fact, McConaughey’s parents — Kay and James McConaughey — had a love story that involved divorcing twice and remarrying three times. But despite the drama, the actor insists their love always won out in the end, with passion never being an issue.
And passion is exactly how James McConaughey - known affectionately as "Big Jim" - predicted his own end would come.
Matthew revealed that his dad always told him and his brothers: “Boys, when I go, I’m gonna be makin’ love to your mother.” And in a bizarre twist of fate, that’s exactly what happened.
“I got a call from my mom: ‘Your dad died,’” McConaughey recalled in his book. “My knees buckled. I couldn’t believe it. He was my dad. Nobody or nothing could kill him.
"Except mom. He had a heart attack when he climaxed."
While that might already be enough for an unusual family story, McConaughey shared even more details in an interview on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast. Turns out, there was another layer to the story that didn’t make it into his book.
When paramedics arrived at the house to take his father’s body, his mom, Kay, had a rather unique way of handling the situation.
“She wouldn’t let the paramedics cover him,” McConaughey shared, laughing. “She kept ripping the sheet off going, ‘Uh-uh, I want the world to see why his nickname was Big Jim. Don’t you cover him!’”
Yep, you read that right — ever the doting wife, Kay McConaughey made sure her late husband’s legendary nickname was well-known to the neighbors as they gathered outside, shocked by the scene.
"I found out later that when the ambulance came to get him at the house, obviously all the neighbors came out on the street," McConaughey revealed. "And they came and told me later that my mom, in her negligee nightie that she had woke up in, wouldn’t let the paramedics cover him."
It’s safe to say the neighbors won’t forget “Big Jim” anytime soon.
(I can only hope my wife does the exact opposite if I were to go in such a way.)
Kay herself has opened up about the incident, sharing on Red Table Talk in 2020: “My husband died making love to me. I remember saying, ‘What’s the matter, big boy? I wear you out?’” But when he didn’t respond, she realized something was wrong.
“His heart just stopped, you know? We had a party for him, kind of a celebration of his life.”
It seems like in true McConaughey style, even the darkest moments are met with a mix of humor, love, and — apparently — a little bit of nudity.