When a famous person dies in some tragic accident, it always comes as a shock not only to his loved ones but also to his numerous fans around the world. Moments like these make me wonder how short and unpredictable life can be.
Many brilliant actors, writers, musicians, designers and scientists have passed away over the years, leaving behind their great legacy to the world. Some of them left this world without saying goodbye, while others did their best not to succumb to the dark void within them as much as possible.
Here are nine sudden celebrity deaths that shocked the world.
1. Kobe Bryant
On January 26, 2020, a private helicopter carrying nine people, including legendary Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, crashed in California. According to reports, bad weather is the cause of this terrible accident. Communication was lost at an altitude of 500 meters, and the pilot was unable to ascend in time due to dense fog and crashed into a mountain. None of the passengers survived. The world is shocked by this disaster. In the four hours after the tragedy, Twitter users left more than seven million messages honoring and remembering Kobe.
2. Princess Diana
From one tear-jerking accident to another, we go to Princess Diana. She was 36 years old when the terrible car accident happened in 1997. According to the official version, the driver lost control while drunk and tried to “escape” from the car, which the paparazzi were chasing. Only one person survived – a bodyguard was seriously injured. The driver, Diana, and her lover, Dodi al-Fayed, were killed. She is adored and adored by fans all over the world and truly deserves the title of “People’s Princess”.
3. Chester Pennington
Linkin Park’s lead singer died on July 20, 2017. He was found dead in his LA home. There were empty liquor bottles in the room, but no suicide note was found. The world lost Pennington on the birthday of his close friend Chris Cornell, who committed suicide by hanging himself two months earlier. Chester’s death came as a complete surprise to the band members as they had planned a photo shoot that day and were due to go on tour a week later.
4. Tupac Shakur
On September 7, 1996, Tupac Shakur was riding in the back seat of his manager Suga Knight’s car. On the right side, a white Cadillac drew up to them. One of the passengers opened fire on Tupac’s car, hitting the rapper in the chest and puncturing a lung. He was taken to the ER, where doctors induced him into a coma, but unfortunately, they could not save the legendary artist. The killer and his motives remain a mystery.
5. Heath Ledger
Ledger’s body was found in his Manhattan apartment on January 22, 2008. An autopsy did not establish a cause of death, and after further tests, Ledger was found to have died of acute poisoning. He took a lethal dose of painkillers, sleeping pills and tranquilizers. More than 500 people, including his ex-wife actress Michelle Williams, flew in to say goodbye to the Joker in his hometown of Perth, Australia.
6. Robin Williams
On March 11, 2014, Robin Williams was found dead at home. This tragedy shook the whole world. How could a good-natured man who adored his family commit suicide on purpose? In 2008, Robin quickly developed a neurogenerative disease that caused him to forget his lines, stop jokes, and panic attacks became more common. From being the king of comedy, he became a shell of his former self. In 2014, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which completely broke his mood and led to a tragic suicide.
7. David Bowie
David Bowie’s death took everyone by surprise. His otherworldly talent as a gift from the space gods seemed certain to grant him immortality, but, alas! In 2016, Bowie died of liver cancer, which he had battled for nearly two years. He decided not to tell the fans about it, so no one knew what was really going on. He died peacefully, surrounded by close friends and family, without attracting attention from outsiders. Rock on among the stars, Ziggy!
8. Steve Irwin
Steve Irwin is the famous Australian “Crocodile Hunter”, adored by millions of fans around the world. He was a renowned naturalist who devoted his life to studying wildlife in the lower reaches. Ironically, his wild nature was responsible for his death in 2006. Steve was doing some underwater shots for his show when he saw a stingray swimming by and caught it from behind. Suddenly, the stingray attacked him, giving him a terrible blow to the heart. Irwin bled to death before reaching the hospital.
9. Stan Lee
Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, Black Widow, Thor, Captain America – these names may sound strange to some of you, but for Marvel fans, each of them has a story. All of them were created or popularized by Stan “The Man” Lee, who died in late 2018, six weeks shy of his 96th birthday. Without Stan, the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe would be a nerd’s wet dream, and “Avengers: Endgame” wouldn’t be the highest-grossing film in history. Stan’s death is a real tragedy for all comic book fans. In the last years of his life, he was completely blind, struggled with pneumonia, but continued his life’s work until the end. Excelsior!
