Meat Loaf's Wife Remembers Him In Emotional Statement: 'He Was A Hugger'

Meat Loaf's death has left the world reeling, as tributes pour in for the 71-year-old music artist. The "Bat Out Of Hell" veteran rockstar is survived by his wife and two daughters, who were at his bedside when he passed.

Now, his wife Deborah Aday (nee Gillespie) has issued a formal statement to People Magazine about how her husband was her world. Here's what she had to say...

Deborah Gillespie was Meat Loaf's second wife and they tied the knot in 2007, staying married for almost 15 years till his death earlier this month, allegedly from COVID.

She said, "For me, it was always about him. From the day we met, he was my world and I loved him. There wasn't a day that went by that we didn't tell the other how much we loved them. Not a day that we didn't hug each other."

Aday says that Meat Loaf was quite the hugger, and called him a "physically affectionate and kind man" and remained grateful because he brought out the same traits in her.

Aday said, "Some of my fondest memories will always be about how we so often laughed, and how we brought out the silliness and playfulness in each other."

Meat Loaf's first wife was Leslie, and he had his daughters Pearl and Amanda with her. Deborah and he did not have any children, and he was also her first husband.

She said that she was waiting for the right man to come along before she said yes, and felt that he was the perfect man for her. Said Aday, "I waited until later in life to get married because I was waiting for the right man. And oh boy, was he ever the right man for me! I realize how blessed I am to have shared my life with such an incredible person. He didn't hesitate to let me know how much I was appreciated, and often sweetly told me, 'You're a good wife.' I will miss hearing that."

She calls their life an adventure and that he was her "best friend, my confidant, and lover." She said, "I miss him terribly already. As much as my heart is in pain right now, my heart is also so full of the love and glory we shared together. I will love you forever, Michael."

Meat Loaf was born Marvin Lee Aday but got his first name changed to Micheal in 1984. For Aday, he was always Michael, and she said, "I've always called him by his given name because I didn't see him as 'Meat.'"

She also spoke about her continuing grief, saying, "The grief I feel over the loss of my husband is gut-wrenching. I was lying close to Michael when he took his last breath and my sadness is beyond words.  I feel much gratitude for the outpouring of love I have received from around the world. He meant so much to so many people, and it gave me the joy to be able to share him with the world. As his wife, I also want everyone to know how much he meant to me as a husband."