Wendy Dio, the ex-wife and manager of Ronnie James Dio, recently guested on UK-based Planet Rock, and during the interview she reflected on Ronnie's passing on May 16th, 2010, saying "Ronnie didn't suffer a lot. He did his chemo treatments, and I didn't think he was going to die. I thought he was going to beat it. When I realized it was too late was on the Friday (May 14th). He got up and said he didn't feel well at all, so I called his doctor over and we went to the hospital. He was in extreme pain - agony - and so they gave him a bunch of morphine, and Ronnie actually went into a coma. And we stayed in the hospital there until Sunday morning when he passed away."

Wendy also talks about growing up, early work, meeting Ronnie, management, Ritchie Blackmore, discrimination, Heaven And Hell, and more. She also chooses some of her favourite songs.

Wendy Dio spoke with WSOU in October 2010 and offered an update and some details on the documentary about Ronnie's life and career that has been in the works for quite some time. As this is a fully authorized production, BMG is financing the film.

Ronnie James Dio passed away on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67 following a battle with stomach cancer.

Wendy: "It will go from Ronnie's childhood all the way through. I think they interviewed Jack Black, and I think they interviewed all of Ronnie's bandmembers and Doug Aldrich and, I think, Jeff Pilson. They were getting ready to go to Arizona to interview Rob Halford and Lita Ford, and then they were going into England to interview Tony Iommi. They already did Geezer (Butler). So there will be very interesting stories from different people. We were hoping it would come out early '21. I think it will come out in '21, but I'm not sure exactly when now because of the hold-up (pandemic). It depends on when they can go back to work."

Photo by PG Brunelli