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I’ve never been one to idolize celebrities. That said, it would be foolish of me to claim they haven’t touched countless lives. So, when they’re gone, it’s no wonder their loss is felt so deeply.
Just last week, I paused mid-scroll during an otherwise mundane social media browse to learn that David Lynch had passed.
It felt strangely personal. His work, creative talent, and unshakable authenticity had always inspired me. He was a dreamer unlike any other, and it saddened me to realize there won’t be any more projects under his name. I’m still thinking about him.
As it happens, Redditors recently reflected on other celebrity deaths that struck a similar chord. Their stories moved us to put together a list of their choices as a tribute. Read them below, and let’s honor their legacies together.
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#2
Alan Rickman.
#3
When I was a boy, my dad would vocally discuss how he didn't want me.
Mister Rogers was an adult male who seemed to like me just fine. I would watch his show as a child and my mom say I would *plead* with the television when he started putting on his shoes.
"Stay today! Just this time, please, just stay this time..."
I heard he died at the end of my work day. I couldn't finish my supper, I went into my room, closed my door and cried my eyes out. I was 24. I really, really, really wanted to just tell him thank you.
#4
Chadwick Bozeman.
tdrknt1:
Chadwick Bowsman that dude was dying and still visited sick folks in the hospital. He was a good man.
JessieJ&LilyLovebug 2 days ago
Imagining who he could become is heartbreaking. Imagining him fighting largely alone is heartbreaking.
#6
Anton Yelchin. He was an only child, too.
JessieJ&LilyLovebug 2 days ago
This one was hard, not just because of how young he was, but because of how he died...absolutely horrific.
#7
Steve Irwin.
maybeee123_Report:
Steve Irwin could have done some some amazing things in the last 20 years.
His kids are making him proud though.
#8
Heath ledger.
#9
Grant Imahara.
He was full of life, totally healthy, uplifting, jovial, enthusiastic about science, the exact kind of voice we need in this current time. And he died due to a very sudden brain aneurism. Basically, absolutely nothing you could do to prevent that. It's just a thing that...happens.
A lot of celebrity deaths are tragic and heart-breaking. But Grant's death also felt just straight-up *unfair*.
KahlessAndMolorReport:
Grant Imahara from myth busters was on a date with his fiance when he complained of a headache and then passed out in a restaurant.
Sudden aneurysm at age 49 with virtually no warning.
LuisSD stuff 2 days ago
My best friend as child died of the same thing. He had a terrible headache and just died. My sister told me and I was stunned for days. We both grew up in the 70s which was magical time for kids long before computers and cell phones. I hope to meet him in Heaven and thank him for being my friend.
#10
Matthew Perry hit me HARD! My partner is very much like chandler and I am “a Monica.” People compared us all the time. I had JUST finished his memoir, then less than an hour later heard he died. I have never cried over a celebrity death, I’m not really a cryer (control freak) but I came close with him.
#11
Betty White dying just 17 days before her one-hundreth birthday was so sad. She was a wonderful person. Her death was sad enough, but seeing that picture of the empty Golden Girls couch that was doing the rounds that day hit me the hardest.
#13
John Candy broke my heart.
#14
David Bowie.
The Queen Of France 1 day ago
My favourite image following his passing. https://pin.it/5U8UTPMCU
#18
River Phoenix. He'd be just as big as Joaquin if he didn't die.
#20
Marvin Gaye— getting murdered by your dad during an argument is definitely one for the books.
#22
I’m still sad that Gilda Radner died way too soon.
#23
Jim Henson. Refused to go to a doctor and ended up with Disney running The Muppets.
#25
There are so many, but Otis Redding has to be on the list. He recorded "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" three days before he was killed in a plane accident. It became the first posthumous No. 1 single in the US.
#26
Anthony Bourdain, Prince.
Angela B 2 days ago (edited)
Prince. Broke my heart, still does. As a huge fan (22 albums I have) and his talent, gone. To find the loss was due to over prescription of pain meds absolutely destroyed me. Love or loathe him, his talent and musical abilities were astonishing. "Sometimes it snows in April".
#29
Vic Morrow, on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie.
He and two child actors were killed by a helicopter blade.
cerinamroth 2 days ago
So that the child actors can also be honoured, their names were Renee Shin-Yi Chen and Myca Dinh Le.
#30
Naya rivera.
What do you think ?
The Doom Song 2 days ago
Chester Bennington for me. I think his death was actually the first celebrity I cried over. RIP Chester
kathoco 1 day ago
this post has mostly revealed that some people don't understand the meaning of tragic. Betty White's death can hardly be called a tragedy. But I'm sorry you're all sad. The fact some of these aren't tragedies doesn't mean we can't be sad and grieve.
Seán Baron 2 days ago
Victoria Wood for me. For non UK peeps, she was an extremely brilliant t female comedian who pretty much paved the way for female comedians here in the UK, she did stand up tours - in the 70s and 80s when women didn’t do such things. She wrote everything, did stand up, sketch shows, plays, drama, acting, wrote music, did a musical, a sitcom. She also holds the record for the most continuous amount of sold out nights at the Royal Albert Hall (16 nights). She had cancer and no one knew. There was definitely more to come from her and we’ll never see it.
Marnie 2 days ago
Many of you probably don't know him, but the worst one for me was Twitch who took his own life. Stephen "tWitch" Boss was a contestant, then a guest star, and then one of the better judges on So You Think You Can Dance. He then was on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a repeated guest host (and I think he had some other executive involvement). He was also in at least one movie. Extremely likeable guy. Had children. Was married to one of the other contestants from So You Think when he died. I read it in Walgreen's, and had to step out of line. I was honestly upset. Called my son since he's a fan of So You Think also.
Pernille 2 days ago
George Michael was somehow the worst for me, best concerts I've ever been to. Another one was Jeff Porcaro.
Lost Panda 2 days ago
George Carlin or Robin Williams, those were probably the only ones that actually hurt my soul.
Igor914624 2 days ago
Neil Peart. He wrote the soundtrack to my life. Rest in Peace Professor.
LilliVB 2 days ago (edited)
Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin. The music they couldn't make.
Poppy 1 day ago
Not exactly a celebrity but Sir Terry Pratchett, he passed away the same year my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Ozymandias73 1 day ago
Michael Jackson. Say what you will about him, he was and always will be my musical and dancing idol. He made the greatest music and his dancing was phenomeonal. Leonard Nimoy. I grew up watching the original Star Trek shows and the ones that followed. (Even though TNG is my favorite) but Spock was probably my favorite character.
Amy Smith 1 day ago
Mine will always be Victoria Wood, Chester Bennington, Christine McVie, Alan Rickman and Dame Maggie Smith. I was remarking not long before she died how she had looked old in films ever since I was a kid in the 90s and how she was not at all like Bruce Forsyth who we all assumed would live forever and then eventually did pass on also at age 89.
EVERLEIGH 2 days ago
I would add Paul Walker! What a way to have passed away. I was so shocked and couldn't believe it! He would have continued to act and would still be one of my favorite actors of today's day and age.
Don Adams 2 days ago (edited)
John Belushi - so funny, gone so young Thurman Munson - star athlete, brought a plane so he could fly home on off days to be with his family. Crashed practicing touch and go landings and died at 32. News broke on Armed Forces Network in Germany, was like a gut punch. Adding: John Pinette- such a gracious, friendly and genuinely funny man. All three gone way to soon. Edit: spelling and added John Pinette-.
David Muir 1 day ago
Rik Mayall, taken far too early, likely due to the serious quad bike accident he suffered a number of years earlier. Absolute comedy genius with Ade Edmondson and a big presence from being a nipper to adulthood. Am just glad I got to see his Bottom Live (The Big Number 2 Tour and Hooligan Island) specifically stage shows in person!
Anna Drever 1 day ago
Tim Brooke-Taylor. Died in the early days of Covid. Goodie, goodie yum yum. 😞
Any 1 day ago (edited)
Andy Whitfield - I knew him only from his role Spartacus But I loved the first season, he played sooo good! There is such a tragic scene I still have burned in my brain. He was so talented and after I looked for him more also a nice human being, with a s****y, a*s hole sickness (cancer). Never watched Spartacus Season 2 and 3. But inclined to watch Season 1 again....
RedMarbles 1 day ago
I know this is mainly about actors, but Alexei Navalny absolutely k*lled me. The good guys lost one of their very best. A true hero. RIP
Joanne Earle 16 hours ago
For a Deadhead like me, Jerry Garcia's death absolutely gutted me. I was so distraught my bosses gave me the rest of the week off with pay (I worked for very progressive lawyers in downtown San Francisco). I grieved for months and months. And couldn't bring myself to see any of the new incarnations of the living members. It's not the same w/o Jerry.
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
I don't know what qualifies as a celebrity, but the actor's death that hit me the hardest is probably only familiar to Australians, and even then I'm not sure many would remember him. Mark Priestly, who I was familiar with from the show All Saints, committed suicide in 2008 when he was only 32. He had suffered from depression for a while but it was still unexpected. I often wonder if filming a scene where his character's wife had been murdered earlier that day played into it at all.
The Dave 1 day ago (edited)
Natalie Wood belongs on the list. Murdered by her husband Robert Wagner (who just recently died) likely due to a love triangle with Christopher Walken, who basically heard the murder happen. Edit: yeah, another Dave fact checked me. Honest mistake, I realize Wagner’s not dead yet.
The Doom Song 2 days ago
Chester Bennington for me. I think his death was actually the first celebrity I cried over. RIP Chester
kathoco 1 day ago
this post has mostly revealed that some people don't understand the meaning of tragic. Betty White's death can hardly be called a tragedy. But I'm sorry you're all sad. The fact some of these aren't tragedies doesn't mean we can't be sad and grieve.
Seán Baron 2 days ago
Victoria Wood for me. For non UK peeps, she was an extremely brilliant t female comedian who pretty much paved the way for female comedians here in the UK, she did stand up tours - in the 70s and 80s when women didn’t do such things. She wrote everything, did stand up, sketch shows, plays, drama, acting, wrote music, did a musical, a sitcom. She also holds the record for the most continuous amount of sold out nights at the Royal Albert Hall (16 nights). She had cancer and no one knew. There was definitely more to come from her and we’ll never see it.
Marnie 2 days ago
Many of you probably don't know him, but the worst one for me was Twitch who took his own life. Stephen "tWitch" Boss was a contestant, then a guest star, and then one of the better judges on So You Think You Can Dance. He then was on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a repeated guest host (and I think he had some other executive involvement). He was also in at least one movie. Extremely likeable guy. Had children. Was married to one of the other contestants from So You Think when he died. I read it in Walgreen's, and had to step out of line. I was honestly upset. Called my son since he's a fan of So You Think also.
Pernille 2 days ago
George Michael was somehow the worst for me, best concerts I've ever been to. Another one was Jeff Porcaro.
Lost Panda 2 days ago
George Carlin or Robin Williams, those were probably the only ones that actually hurt my soul.
Igor914624 2 days ago
Neil Peart. He wrote the soundtrack to my life. Rest in Peace Professor.
LilliVB 2 days ago (edited)
Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin. The music they couldn't make.
Poppy 1 day ago
Not exactly a celebrity but Sir Terry Pratchett, he passed away the same year my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Ozymandias73 1 day ago
Michael Jackson. Say what you will about him, he was and always will be my musical and dancing idol. He made the greatest music and his dancing was phenomeonal. Leonard Nimoy. I grew up watching the original Star Trek shows and the ones that followed. (Even though TNG is my favorite) but Spock was probably my favorite character.
Amy Smith 1 day ago
Mine will always be Victoria Wood, Chester Bennington, Christine McVie, Alan Rickman and Dame Maggie Smith. I was remarking not long before she died how she had looked old in films ever since I was a kid in the 90s and how she was not at all like Bruce Forsyth who we all assumed would live forever and then eventually did pass on also at age 89.
EVERLEIGH 2 days ago
I would add Paul Walker! What a way to have passed away. I was so shocked and couldn't believe it! He would have continued to act and would still be one of my favorite actors of today's day and age.
Don Adams 2 days ago (edited)
John Belushi - so funny, gone so young Thurman Munson - star athlete, brought a plane so he could fly home on off days to be with his family. Crashed practicing touch and go landings and died at 32. News broke on Armed Forces Network in Germany, was like a gut punch. Adding: John Pinette- such a gracious, friendly and genuinely funny man. All three gone way to soon. Edit: spelling and added John Pinette-.
David Muir 1 day ago
Rik Mayall, taken far too early, likely due to the serious quad bike accident he suffered a number of years earlier. Absolute comedy genius with Ade Edmondson and a big presence from being a nipper to adulthood. Am just glad I got to see his Bottom Live (The Big Number 2 Tour and Hooligan Island) specifically stage shows in person!
Anna Drever 1 day ago
Tim Brooke-Taylor. Died in the early days of Covid. Goodie, goodie yum yum. 😞
Any 1 day ago (edited)
Andy Whitfield - I knew him only from his role Spartacus But I loved the first season, he played sooo good! There is such a tragic scene I still have burned in my brain. He was so talented and after I looked for him more also a nice human being, with a s****y, a*s hole sickness (cancer). Never watched Spartacus Season 2 and 3. But inclined to watch Season 1 again....
RedMarbles 1 day ago
I know this is mainly about actors, but Alexei Navalny absolutely k*lled me. The good guys lost one of their very best. A true hero. RIP
Joanne Earle 16 hours ago
For a Deadhead like me, Jerry Garcia's death absolutely gutted me. I was so distraught my bosses gave me the rest of the week off with pay (I worked for very progressive lawyers in downtown San Francisco). I grieved for months and months. And couldn't bring myself to see any of the new incarnations of the living members. It's not the same w/o Jerry.
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
I don't know what qualifies as a celebrity, but the actor's death that hit me the hardest is probably only familiar to Australians, and even then I'm not sure many would remember him. Mark Priestly, who I was familiar with from the show All Saints, committed suicide in 2008 when he was only 32. He had suffered from depression for a while but it was still unexpected. I often wonder if filming a scene where his character's wife had been murdered earlier that day played into it at all.
The Dave 1 day ago (edited)
Natalie Wood belongs on the list. Murdered by her husband Robert Wagner (who just recently died) likely due to a love triangle with Christopher Walken, who basically heard the murder happen. Edit: yeah, another Dave fact checked me. Honest mistake, I realize Wagner’s not dead yet.
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