Mao Zedong
On May 27, 1976, the Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto visited Beijing and had a meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong. This turned out to be Mao’s last public appearance and the last known photo of him alive. During the meeting, Mao agreed to provide 50 kg of uranium to Pakistan, jump-starting its nuclear program. The photos from the meeting signaled the end of Mao’s public audiences. It was evident to everyone that his death was imminent.
Mao had been a heavy smoker for most of his adult life. Because of this, it became a state secret that he suffered from multiple lung and heart ailments. He may have had Parkinson’s disease in addition to Lou Gehrig’s disease. Mao suffered three major heart attacks, which rendered him an invalid. He passed away nearly four days later, on September 9, 1976, at the age of 82.
