Deaths hit people in different ways, and in 2023, celebrity deaths feel like they hurt more than usual. In fact, many people profess to feel connections with celebrities even if they've never met in person. In a recent online discussion, people from across the globe met to reveal which celebrity deaths were most unexpected.
Chadwick Boseman
The star of Black Panther and a vital piece of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Boseman's death in 2020 caught the world by surprise. Not only did Boseman pass away at a relatively young age (he was 43), but the fact that he kept his illness away from the public made his death even more impactful.
Robin Williams
For those who grew up watching Robin Williams perform, it felt like a family member had passed away when he died in 2014. “I remember waking up and reading that Robin Williams had passed away,” one woman recalls. “I had to scratch my eyes to make sure I read everything right. His movies were my childhood.”
Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger's passing in 2008 shocked the world because of its unexpectedness. Ledger was filming The Dark Knight when he died and didn't live to experience the overwhelmingly positive reviews of his portrayal of The Joker. To this day, most people point to Heath Ledger as the best Joker to ever appear in a Batman film.
Princess Diana
The passing of Princess Diana transcended international borders and shocked the entire world when it happened in 1997. “I remember it so clearly,” says one woman. “I got out of work shortly after 4 am, stopped at a local convenience store to buy snacks and a newspaper like I did most days when I finished work back then, and I saw the headline in huge black letters' DIANA DIES IN CRASH.' I was absolutely stunned.” Millions of people still mourn her death to this day.
Phil Hartman
Phil Hartman's name is constantly mentioned when unexpected celebrity deaths are brought up. Hartman was arguably at the top of his career, coming off memorable moments as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and as a recurring character on The Simpsons. Much like Heath Ledger's supporters, Hartman's fans were looking forward to decades of more exemplary work in his field. Sadly, that did not turn out to be the case.
Gilbert Gottfried
Add Gilbert Gottfried to the list of people who managed to keep their chronic illness secret until the last moment, adding to their death's unexpected nature. “On his incredible podcast he was always so full of life that it just never occurred to me that he was even the least bit sick,” admits one fan. “Apparently he had been for a while.”
Kobe Bryant
Most sports fans know exactly where they were on January 26, 2020, when Kobe Bryant tragically died in a helicopter accident. Although he had retired from playing professional basketball at that point in his career, he was still active as a philanthropist and an ambassador to the NBA. Words like “shocked” and “surreal” were sadly the best terms to describe people's feelings on that day in January.
David Bowie
Deaths of innovative musicians always blindside their biggest fans, as their larger-than-life persona often gives them an air of invincibility. David Bowie is a prime example of that kind of musician. “He died like the same day as an album release and didn't tell the world he was sick,” one diehard fan remembers. “I named my cat Bowie that year.”
Anthony Bourdain
Countless people express similar sentiments of being shocked by the unexpected passing of Anthony Bourdain in 2018. Thanks to his unparalleled ability to take people on adventures via food, people reported feeling like they lost the one person in their life who made eating such a cathartic experience.
Alex Trebek
As host of TV's Jeopardy!, Alex Trebek was a staple in millions of American households from 1984 until he passed in 2020. “I kind of thought Trebek would just live forever, just because I don't remember him ever being out of my life thanks to the show,” remembers one man. “And watching the last episodes where he would be tearing up at the thought of having to leave the show really got me in the feels.”
Kurt Cobain
The lead singer of Nirvana had a cult-like following, so it's not surprising to find out that his fans took his unexpected death hard. Many consider Cobain one of the most influential frontmen in rock history. So his passing, coinciding with Nirvana reaching its apex in popularity, was a tough pill for many to swallow.
Prince
As one of the most talented musicians of all time, it's no surprise that Prince's death in 2016 was a punch in the stomach for millions of music fans. “Prince's death rocked me,” confesses one fan. “I was teaching that day and was so stunned I couldn't do much of anything but play his music and stare off into space.” Prince was a genius, and the world is still recovering from the space he left in the music industry.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.