Celebrity Deaths: Honoring our Fallen Stars

Published 5 years ago -


Samantha Surowiec – Staff Writer

As 2018 is coming to a close, I’m taking the time to reflect on the lives we lost this year in the world of pop culture. As we grow and age, so do our favorite childhood and current stars. Every year we have seen these great entertainers pass away, but this year we saw ourselves saying goodbye to quite a few big names.

The world of movies and television lost numerous stars and creators. Famous actors from the 1970s and 1980s, such as Bill Daily, Burt Reynolds, and Margot Kidder all passed away this year. Daily starred in numerous hit television shows, while Reynolds and Kidder starred in movies like Smokey and the Bandit and Superman.

More recent TV shows lost cast members as well. Mark Salling, who starred in all six seasons of Glee, committed suicide shortly following a jail sentence for possession of child pornography. Scott Wilson, most recently known for his role The Walking Dead, died after battling leukemia.

Two extremely recent entertainment deaths have shattered the hearts of fans everywhere. Stan Lee, the mastermind behind Marvel Comics, sadly passed away in November, leaving comic books fans across the globe heartbroken. His impact on today’s culture has been enormous, and he will not be forgotten. Superhero fans have Stan Lee, in addition with other Marvel writers, to thank for their favorite heroes, like Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Avengers.

There is no doubt that there will be tributes to Stan Lee as new Marvel movies continue to come out in the coming year. Also recently passed, as of November 26th, is Stephen Hillenburg, known for creating the iconic Nickelodeon TV show “Spongebob Squarepants.” “Spongebob” was a childhood staple for many current young adults and is still a popular show today.

The music industry also watched sadly as some of its brightest stars passed on. Legendary soul singer and civil rights activist Aretha Franklin left us in August, leaving behind an incredible legacy. Her hit songs “A Natural Woman” and “Respect” were popular fifty years after their release and will continue to be loved.

Rappers XXXTentacion and Mac Miller both tragically lost their lives this year. XXXTentacion was shot and killed, resulting in controversy over the circumstances of his death, while the latter overdosed. The death of Mac Miller hit many extremely hard; his fans are still mourning him, including his former girlfriend Ariana Grande. DJ Avicii, who had huge hits like “Wake Me Up” and “Without You” passed away this year due to health complications.

Other notable 2018 deaths include fashion designers Kate Spade and Hubert de Givenchy, Senator John McCain, and the brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking.

Samantha Surowiec, a sophomore, studies History. She is a staff writer for Le Provocateur.

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