Tammy Faye dies of inoperable cancer at age 65

"When and if the end comes, no one will approach it better than you," said Larry King to Tammy Faye Messner during a live television interview Thursday night.

Friday morning, the end arrived -- Tammy Faye lost her long and courageous battle with inoperable cancer. She was 65.

A Christian singer, evangelist, entrepreneur, talk show host, reality show star, and former wife of disgraced televengalist Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1996. She defied all medical predictions after her disease spread to her lungs in 2004, and she lived on with an inspiring amount of grace and dignity. Weighing only 65 pounds and battling almost constant pain, she spoke with Larry King just days ago -- with both her trademark make-up and a smile on her face -- and she talked openly and candidly about her death. She didn't know when her time would come. But she was ready.

The end has come for Tammy Faye. Surely, no one approached it quite like her.

Tammy Faye won't let cancer get her down

On May 8, Tammy Faye Messner (formerly Bakker), announced that doctors had stopped treating her cancer, that her fate was in the hands of a higher power. Last night, I heard Tammy Faye's voice on television as she spoke to Entertainment Tonight reporters about the state of her health right now.

Tammy Faye's colon cancer, diagnosed in 1996, has spread to her lungs and is causing her severe pain. Her back hurts, she said, and her stomach hurts and she is having difficulty breathing. Still her message is loud and clear: she is not giving up.

When doctors told her there was nothing more they could do, Tammy Faye, 65, said she felt sorry for herself for about one minute. Then she reminded herself there is something out there bigger than doctors -- the Lord Jesus Christ. And so despite the fact that she has been in bed for most of the past year, has lost tremendous amounts of weight, and knows her days are limited, Tammy Faye is staying strong. She is truly living for the day.

Tammy Faye leaves cancer fate to higher power

Former televangelist Tammy Faye Messner -- formerly Tammy Faye Bakker -- posted Tuesday on her website (service is currently unavailable) a message about her health.

Messner, 65, reports that doctors have stopped treating her cancer -- she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1996 and announced in 2004 the disease had spread to her lungs.

"I am down weight-wise to 65 pounds, and look like a scarecrow," the Charlotte resident shared on her site. "I need God's miracle to swallow. I look at young people and wish with all my heart for just one day of 'feeling great.'"