Which famous person's death has affected you the most?

[*anj*]

Or are you affected at all?

I'm not asking whether or not your day to day life is affected by the death of a public figure. I mean, is there someone (or more than one person) whose work and presence really had meaning for you? If that person is no longer alive, did it really bother you?

 

My reactions have changed over the years. For instance, I remember that when John Belushi died I was 16 and I felt a lot of youthful righteous indignation because I felt that he could have prevented his own death. I was very angry with him for a long time.

 

I was in college when Andy Gibb died. He had been one of my Most Fave Singers Ever when I was like 12, so it was weirdly disturbing to hear that he had died, again, of a drug overdose.

 

Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Princess Diana, all affected me.

 

Do other people feel that way, or am I just weird? :D

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

John Paul II's death affected me enormously. He was the reason I went back to my Catholic faith. While the death wasn't a surprise - he had been sick a long time after all - I felt cheated. It happened less than 6 months after I rediscovered faith, and I felt abandonned.

[kalanamak]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/133995_doyonobit07.html

 

Cynthia Doyon hosted the Swing Years and Beyond for as long as I could remember, and remember long summer evenings listening to her while nursing. One of the responses on the (now deleted) listener's page on the radio station's website said "I feel as if I'll never see the moon again". My funk lasted months, and I ended up changing jobs and getting married in my unsettedness. Changes for the better, but the groundswell was her suicide.

[Old Dominion Heather]

Hmmm... I'm still thinking.

 

Dh knew his right away: Mr Rogers.

He even wore a sweater for Mr. Rogers birthday this year. It is sort of like the death of your childhood.

 

I think mine are mostly political... Reagan, the president of my childhood; Peter Jennings, the voice of the news in my head... when I didn't have to pay attention because others were listening.

 

I have never watched a shuttle launch without almost hyperventilating after seeing the Challenger.

[Storm Bay]

This will sound weird at first, perhaps, but when John Ritter died it affected me. This is because I heard him speak in person once and so he was a real person to me. Plus, he was funnier IRL than on TV, IMO, plus smarter than he appeared on TV.

[Just a Jen in Mississippi]

Princess Diana, "John John" Kennedy, and Steve Irvin all stand out in my mind. All three were so tragic and sudden that it shook me up for weeks. I still get a pain in my heart when I see Steve Irwin's wife and kids.

[Jenny in Atl]

Stevie Ray Vaughan... both dh & I loved his music, still do! I had just seen him a few months before. I'm sure there were others that effected me at one point, but his death still bothers me to this day.

 

[elegantlion]

I remember Princess Diana's death because it was the night of my baby shower.

 

I was in junior high when John Lennon died. My art teacher couldn't even teach she was so upset. My dh and I have a small collection of Lennon's artwork and I still think about it when I look at the work.

 

Adam Petty has been the one that affected me the most. My dh and I are big Petty fans, my dh's favorite Nascar driver was Richard Petty, mine is Kyle Petty and we always assumed ds would be an Adam Petty fan. It brought up a lot of personal emotions for me about my dh father's death. He was killed in a racing accident when dh was little.

[ereks mom]

Christa McAuliffe because she was the first "teacher in space" -- and in 1986I was just beginning my teaching career and actually considered applying for the position -- and Rick Husband because he was a dedicated Christian and I therefore felt a kinship with him.

[Josie]

She gave of herself so freely. The world is a better place because of her. I miss her beauty.

[abbeyej]

I think I felt rather effected by Steve Irwin's death, strangely enough. I think largely as a parent -- he was so young and amazingly full of life and a love for all creation, and those little children left without their father. Dh and ds had gone to the premier of his movie (dd was a baby and she and I stayed home) and met Steve and Terri and Bindi (about ds' age)... So I felt like we did sort of "know" him, and I was deeply saddened at the thought of his family's loss...

 

And reassured a bit that his children had such an amazing record of his life and vitality... I remind myself of it every time I'm cringing away from the camera -- that if something ever happened to me, I'd rather my kids have some "unflattering" photos than nothing at all.

[ncmomo3]

Interesting question.

Charles Schultz.

When he died, I was truly sad. The Peanuts gangs held a special place in my childhood. In some very bizarre way, it seemed as all those kids died too. (hope that doesn't seem too creepy)

I never would have expected to feel that way over his death.

[hsmamainva]

John Lennon affected me tremendously!! I had just graduated from high school 6 months before that and I was sooo upset for weeks afterwards!

 

Christa McAullife also affected me terrribly because I was watching it, live, when it happened. We knew she was the first teacher in space, so someone brought a TV in to the office where I was working so we could watch it. That was horrific :(

 

We were on vacation when Princess Diana died and that was rough, as well. My oldest was around 7 that weekend and she can still remember watching the TV coverage in the hotel with us.

 

And, not a famous person, but nothing .. nothing affected me as much as 9/11 did. Nothing even comes close.

[hsmamainva]

Oh! How could I have forgotten John-John Kennedy!

 

I was on bed-rest while pregnant with my 3rd child (I spent 5 months in bed during that pregnancy) and it was the same weekend that my father-in-law died, and I couldn't go to the funeral, so I was home, watching the coverage of the search for his plane.

[valkett]

Steve Irwin.... because he was so full of life... I just couldn't believe it.. It was a Labor Day morning and I remember going to the computer and bringing up Drudge Report and it was in huge red letters at the top of the screen. I just remember gasping and grabbing my husband's arm. Plus, my youngest son (12.5 now) has been saying that he was going to grow up and work for Steve since he was four. My little guy spent that awful day on the couch wrapped up in his blanket. It was a very sad day in our house. It was absolutely awful to have to tell him that morning that Steve had died.

 

Sean Taylor - he had started turning his life around... we were starting to see the good things happening... and my middle guy is a huge football/redskin fan. He doesn't share his feelings very much and he was very down for that week. Just a very sad situation.

 

John Ritter... I have loved him since he was on the Waltons.. His was another of those... "they have to be making a mistake" type of reactions. Just sad.

 

Ronald Reagan - class act...

 

There have been others (Princess Diana, etc..)... but those are the ones that first came to mind...

 

Val

[Part-Time Homeschooler]

Heath Ledger, Princess Diana, and JFK, Jr.

[LizzyBee]

Princess Diana - I remember going to bed that night thinking that she wouldn't die, and when I woke up it was all over the news that she had died. She always seemed larger than life and her death seemed surreal.

 

President Reagan - I will always remember Nancy leaning over and laying her head on the coffin, like she just couldn't bear to say that last goodbye. Reagan had Alzheimers at the same time as my dad.

 

Ruth Bell Graham - She lived life with grace and class.

 

For dh, it would be Len Bias. Even though dh was a few years older than Len, they'd played some pick up games of basketball when Len was still in high school. His death profoundly affected dh and the lifestyle he was living at the time.

 

ETA: I asked dh, and he said Len Bias. I asked him if there was anyone else. He said the Apollo 7 fire and JFK's assassination. He was in 1st grade when JFK died, and the kids were taken to the library to watch the TV coverage.

[Sue G in PA]

John Denver, John Ritter, Princess Di and Steve Irwin (b/c they were so young and it was so sudden). My ds10 was greatly saddened by Steve Irwin's death. He idolized that man and was visibly shaken when I told him about his death. I'm not sure I can think of any more right now, but those 4 stand out.

[bkpan]

Some of his music was very special to me, so it felt somehow more personal. And he died in such a tragic way. He was in a car accident, and while he was able to get out and walk away, he was in a daze and stepped in front of a semi.

 

Kim in TN (used to be in NV)

[*anj*]

Princess Diana - I remember going to bed that night thinking that she wouldn't die, and when I woke up it was all over the news that she had died. She always seemed larger than life and her death seemed surreal.

 

 

Yes, I did the same thing. We were visiting my mil for Labor Day. I went to bed that night thinking "Wow, what a close call. She'll be fine." I was just totally shocked when I found out the next day that she'd actually died. I saw it in the newspaper first and I thought there must be a misprint.

 

I remember when she was a young girl, only a few years older than I was, and she was going to marry Prince Charles.

I remember the fairy tale wedding. I had to get up at some amazingly early time (for a 15 year old) to watch their wedding.

I had just watched her live for all those years and I guess because I was a new mom I just couldn't believe that those poor boys would have to live without her.

[mom42terrificgirls]

this is going to sound really stupid, but Anna Nicole Smith. She died when my OCD was REALLY bad. My brain got in a loop and for weeks afterwards I surfed the internet many times a day to make sure she really died. You would think that all the media coverage would have proved it, but, hey, that's OCD for you!

[Mamagistra]

Interesting question.

Charles Schultz.

When he died, I was truly sad. The Peanuts gangs held a special place in my childhood. In some very bizarre way, it seemed as all those kids died too. (hope that doesn't seem too creepy)

I never would have expected to feel that way over his death.

 

Wow! Me, too. :001_smile:

 

When I was in elementary school, my class was asked to write a letter to a celebrity: either Charles Schultz or Henry "The Fonz" Winkler. I was the only kid that chose Schultz and he actually wrote back! I wish I still had his letter. :(

 

Fonz, indeed... :rolleyes:

 

I remember being quite saddened by Mel Blanc's death. I loved this tribute to him:

 

 

ETA: FONZ LIVES! FONZ LIVES! Aaaaaaaaaaaaay! :D

[GraceinMD]

someone whose work and presence really had meaning for you?

 

I was in Grenada in 1983 when Reagan sent troops in, and was rescued by those men, and subsequently met Mr. Reagan at the White House. I now take care of many patients with dementia (which is what Mr. Reagan died from), so his death was poignant for me.

 

I respected him so much for making a difficult decision as president, and felt so for the pain his family bore at the end of his life. When he died, I wanted to honor him, so stood with dh and ds from 12M to 7A (in a huge line on the Mall) to pay tribute at the Rotunda. We were the last group in that morning, and it was a tremendously moving moment for me.

 

An especially apt memory for Memorial Day....

[Liz CA]

Or are you affected at all?

I'm not asking whether or not your day to day life is affected by the death of a public figure. I mean, is there someone (or more than one person) whose work and presence really had meaning for you? If that person is no longer alive, did it really bother you?

 

My reactions have changed over the years. For instance, I remember that when John Belushi died I was 16 and I felt a lot of youthful righteous indignation because I felt that he could have prevented his own death. I was very angry with him for a long time.

 

I was in college when Andy Gibb died. He had been one of my Most Fave Singers Ever when I was like 12, so it was weirdly disturbing to hear that he had died, again, of a drug overdose.

 

Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Princess Diana, all affected me.

 

Do other people feel that way, or am I just weird? :D

 

Grace Kelly. Perhaps only a few here are old enough to remember her in life. I had just completed a biography and was doing a report about her in class. I had learned so much about her and then came the sudden news of her death in a car accident.

[j.griff]

Kurt Cobain's death really affected me in high school. Steve Irwin's death was devastating, and I still BAWL about it when I see him on TV, or when I see interviews where Terri is talking about him. *sniffs*

And Heath Ledger's death has been pretty bad for me, too.

[Diana in OR]

Ronald Reagan: I'm not sure why, except he was president from the time I entered high school until the year I graduated from college.

 

He died in May or June. I had lost my dad the previous November, and then my mom in April. I remember wishing I could call my mom and talk with her about his death. I felt like I was losing my dad all over again. Strange, I know.

[Guest Katia]

When I was 11-13yo my favorite TV show was Alias Smith and Jones. I LOVED that show and watched it faithfully.

 

Then, when I was 13yo, one of the stars, Pete Duel committed suicide. I was simply floored and couldn't believe it. It effected me greatly.

 

Also, Pres. Kennedy was shot on my 4th birthday, and that has followed me a long, long time. Most people don't think of it on 'that day' any more which is a real relief for me. But, it was awful as a kid growing up to want to celebrate your birthday and everyone is mourning......Blah!

[Shelbelle7]

Sergei Grinkov. He was the husband/partner of Ekaterina Gordeeva. They won the 1994 Olympic gold medal in pairs figure skating. They were absolutely magical to watch. He died in 1995. They had a little girl. At the time I was a young wife/mother and his death affected me tremendously. I was so incredibly sad and really mourned for his young wife and daughter.

[WTMindy]

And, not a famous person, but nothing .. nothing affected me as much as 9/11 did. Nothing even comes close.

 

Oh, yes, this is me too!!!!!

[Staci in MO]

I was in college. He was on the evening news, and did weather updates for morning drive-time radio. I was getting ready for class when the radio people were wondering where he was and then learned what had happened. It was very sad, and it bothered me for several days.

[A.J. at J.A.]

I'm not sure if I should be embarrassed by this or not, I don't really get into "famous" people, but I was honestly shaken and really truly upset when Steve Irwin (Crocodile Hunter) passed away. (edited *Now that I've read all the previous responses mentioning Steve Irwin, I see that I shouldn't be embarrassed at all...he made a large impact on many people - kids & adults)

 

I have also really been shaken by Stephen Curtis Chapman's recent tragedy where his youngest daughter was accidentally hit & killed by their SUV with his oldest son driving.

[A.J. at J.A.]

Sergei Grinkov. He was the husband/partner of Ekaterina Gordeeva. They won the 1994 Olympic gold medal in pairs figure skating. They were absolutely magical to watch. He died in 1995. They had a little girl. At the time I was a young wife/mother and his death affected me tremendously. I was so incredibly sad and really mourned for his young wife and daughter.

 

Yes...that shook me too!

[Greta]

It is so strange to see this question posed here tonight, because just last night as I was drifting off to sleep I was thinking about Heath Ledger's death for about the thousandth time, and about how no celebrity's death had ever affected me so deeply. I even thought about posting here to see if anyone else felt that way about him! He was so talented that I really feel he could have (would have, should have) gone on to be recognized as a truly great actor. I'm talking the kind of actor that only comes along once a generation or so. He was so young, I just weep at all the life that was stolen from him.

[Peela]

Steve Irwin, definitely. My dh and I would both break out in tears regularly for week afterwards when we would see tributes to him.

Princess Diana affected me strongly too. I watched the funeral with my toddlers next to me wondering why I was crying.

And yes, Heath Ledger too.

It always hurts when there's children involved, doesnt it?

[mommytobees]

::de-lurking::

 

River Phoenix

 

I know, that sounds strange... but he died just before my 18th birthday. I was wild and could have possibly headed into that same direction. His death changed my focus of my life.

 

Kris

[Mama Lynx]

Or are you affected at all?

I'm not asking whether or not your day to day life is affected by the death of a public figure. I mean, is there someone (or more than one person) whose work and presence really had meaning for you? If that person is no longer alive, did it really bother you?

 

My reactions have changed over the years. For instance, I remember that when John Belushi died I was 16 and I felt a lot of youthful righteous indignation because I felt that he could have prevented his own death. I was very angry with him for a long time.

 

I was in college when Andy Gibb died. He had been one of my Most Fave Singers Ever when I was like 12, so it was weirdly disturbing to hear that he had died, again, of a drug overdose.

 

Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Princess Diana, all affected me.

 

Do other people feel that way, or am I just weird? :D

 

John Lennon, because it was so senseless and because his death upset my mother so much.

 

And, well ... Michael Hutchence and Steve Clark. They, and the Challenger/Columbia astronauts, all affected me deeply.

[Karen sn]

Princess Di for sure.

My baby was a few months old and I cried for her babies (although much older) growing up in a world without her. I cried for her because I knew as she died she probably fought to hold onto life so she could watch them grow up. I was angry too at the paparazzi.

 

Jerry Garcia, Waylin Jennings, Johnny Cash......

I don't even want to think about what will happen to me when Willie Nelson goes. I love him.

[nmoira]

 

River Phoenix

Me too.

[Karen sn]

::de-lurking::

 

River Phoenix

 

I know, that sounds strange... but he died just before my 18th birthday. I was wild and could have possibly headed into that same direction. His death changed my focus of my life.

 

Kris

 

Yes. I remember his death well. I was very sad and it was a rainy Halloween.

(I was a vegetarian and very much into everything he was doing.)

[lovemyboys]

Stevie Ray Vaughan... both dh & I loved his music, still do! I had just seen him a few months before. I'm sure there were others that effected me at one point, but his death still bothers me to this day.[/img]

 

Anwar Sadat, John Lennon, the original astronauts who died in the fire in their capsule while still on the launchpad (I was very young but I remember it)....way before the Challenger and Columbia deaths...all sad.

 

I remember Roberto and Anwar Sadat because they both were good men trying to make a difference in the world. I was still quite young and their deaths struck me as such losses to goodness, if that makes sense.

[Fourmother]

Dh knew his right away: Mr Rogers.

He even wore a sweater for Mr. Rogers birthday this year. It is sort of like the death of your childhood.

 

I have to agree with your dh. Mr. Rogers' death hit me hard, almost as hard as the death of my own father some years later. I cried like a baby when I heard that he passed away. He was so kind and sincere. His calming persona was contagious. He taught us about diversity long before it was the politically correct thing to do. I always respected him for choosing not to turn his show into a 30 minute toy/junk food commercial. Plus, there was the coolest music ranging from Sweet Honey in the Rock to Yo-Yo Ma. I still miss him.

[Vida Winter]

John Lennon. I cried my heart out and was sad for a long time.

 

John Candy. I miss him.

 

And more recently, William F. Buckley, Jr.

I am still very sad about his passing.

[Liberty]

I remember exactly what I was doing the moment I learned that Elvis had died. I was playing restaurant and was typing up the menu. When it came on the TV I called my best friend who was one of the biggest Elvis fans I knew (along with her mother). She was so torn apart she couldn't even come to the phone.

 

I also remember exactly what I was doing the moment I learned about the Space Shuttle blowing up with the teacher inside. I was in high school Government class. Our teacher came in and told us the news. The whole rest of the day everyone was just sort of numb.

 

Another celebrity death that really affected me was when TV actor Jan Erik Hexum accidentally killed himself with a set prop gun that he had put to his head and pulled the trigger. I had been a fan of his from the TV show Voyagers and was very disturbed by that happening for a long time after (don't know why).

[GreenKitty]

Steve Irwin

Henry Winkler

Fred Rogers

[SFP]

When I was 11-13yo my favorite TV show was Alias Smith and Jones. I LOVED that show and watched it faithfully.

 

Then, when I was 13yo, one of the stars, Pete Duel committed suicide. I was simply floored and couldn't believe it. It effected me greatly.

 

 

 

Oh, Katia, me too. I think an entire generation of little girls was devastated by Pete's death.

 

Did you know a bio of Pete was finally published last year?

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

John Denver- I love his music, and have every album, but I can't listen anymore because I start crying.

 

Judy Garland and Peter Lawford- The senselessness of drug and acohol addiction and what it did to their lives. I found their deaths very depressing because I was a great fan of their movies.

 

Michael Landon and Bill Bixby- When I was a teenager "Pa Ingalls" and "David Banner" were the kind of men that I thought I wanted to marry. I was very sad to hear of their deaths-both from smoking caused cancer.

 

I'm kind of sad reading this thread. Some of these people became like family because we invited them into our homes and felt a connection with them.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Ugh, that one was a shock to us too.

[Jenstet]

Christa McAuliffe. I was 11 and living in Massachusetts. We were all watching the launch on TV in classroom because she was from New Hampshire. When it happened the teacher just shut off the TV and we all went back to work while they were out in the hallway crying. It was sad.

 

River Phoenix was sad, Steve Irwin.

[Jenstet]

I just checked and I don't think Henry Winkler is dead. Didn't he just testify at John Ritter's trial.

 

I think the FONZ is alive...

[lynn]

Steve Irwin

Henry Winkler

Fred Rogers

 

You mean "Fonzie" Henry Winkler, he didn't die. Were you thinking John Ritter "Jack" from Three's Company?