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I was watching a documentary on Robin Williams on HBO, and here we are ten years later after his death, and whenever I see something he is in, I start to tear up and I don't feel that way about anyone else who has died. H and I were returning from a summer vacation, and when we got off of the plane in Chicago, I read the news on my phone. I cried all the way to the baggage claim. It hit me in the gut.

Reports were initially that he had Parkinson's, and I felt so bad about that, but when it came out that he'd actually been diagnosed with Lewy-Body dementia, I could somehow understand the decision to commit suicide. I knew from my work in hospice that some people who have Lewy-Body are initially misdiagnosed with Parkingson's. I just wish he hadn't had to be so alone in his pain, and maybe that's what makes me so sad whenever I see any images of him. He brightened the lives of so many people with his comedic timing and performances (although some of the movies he was in were very dark).

When I was in college, Thursday night was party night in town; but if I made plans to go out, it had to be after Mork and Mindy was on. I was so committed to seeing every episode (no VCRs or DVRs at that time!).

Anyone else have such a reaction to a celebrity's death?

Grant Imahara from Mythbusters. He died from an aneurysm early in the pandemic-so while his death was devastating to me-I imagine my emotions were on overload.

I watched every episode and still occasionally watch a rerun. Plus I had the absolute pleasure of volunteering in one of their episodes.

His joy, passion, and surprise of so many outcomes on the show were just so much fun to watch. 😢

[This message edited by AnnieOakley at 11:30 AM, Monday, December 9th]

I still miss Buddy Holly, Phil Ochs, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, and a number of classical music performers who still give me shivers.

Robin Williams is a tough one for me. I met him once a long time ago when Mork and Mindy was in its prime. I was barely 10 years old and he was so funny and kind to me. The weekend he died my husband started his affair. So when that weekend rolls around I have memories in social media of the pictures I posted from the day I met him. But I’m also aware of the date.

Prince is another one who gets me. I loved his music and was so disappointed he chose prescription drugs in excess to dull his pain. Sometimes his songs still make me cry.

Sometimes celebrities feel like family to us. We take it hard. It’s not easy for us to believe that like us, they are human and some have fragile mental states and others have such physical pain and anxiety due to years of performing and vigorous schedules.

[This message edited by Marie2792 at 8:38 PM, Thursday, December 26th]

I have to admit I had to look up Grant Imahara. Sounded like a tragic death.

Sisoon, of the musicians you mentioned, I think Buddy Holly is the one I was most familiar with, perhaps because of the publicity surrounding the plane crash, and American Pie's popularity.

I think the wide-reaching characters Robin Williams played really spoke to me. I was a fan of some of his lesser-known roles, such as The World According to Garp, and The Fisher King, Patch Adams, and Fisher King.

I used to think that he had an undiagnosed illness of bi-polar disorder because I couldn't explain to myself how he could perform like he did, but now I just think there was a level of genius that I just can't understand.

Marie2792 - I am so jealous that you got to meet him! Was he just his 'normal' self? Or was he comedic?

John Denver.

I get teased a lot about this. So feel free. But, imperfect as he was, his music can still impact my life.

Huge, huge loss to me.

Number4, he was very comedic. I was 9 years old but always quite advanced for my age. I had a cousin who loved to go to the studios do a good morning America and the soaps etc. A quick subway ride for us from Queens NY. We got up early that day and went to the studios not knowing who would be there because it was all pre taped. It was November but still pretty warm. I was the only child outside and he approached me right away. He did the Nano Nano hand shake with me and then asked me if I knew where to get a frosted flake cheeseburger. He was convincing enough that even I thought it was a real thing. He also told me that Orson would be looking for him soon and he had to make sure he was back in time for the call. Full on character and I loved it. Some years later a teacher friend I met at my kids school had worked on Mrs. Doubtfire with him. She was in the film industry before coming home to NY to help her sick parents. She had wonderful stories about him too. How she took him to the dentist one time and he pretended to be under the influence of the laughing gas for hours after it wore out! I was always a big fan of his and when he died, I was very sad for a long time. His death coincided with the event we can’t discuss on this forum. So I can’t ever forget it.

I still miss Prince, and the music that he still could have created. Such a loss, IMO.

Also agree about Robin Williams. He was a comedic genius.

I really regret never seeing Tom Petty in concert, but Robin Williams was tough loss.

I grieve the ones whose brilliance was still growing -- Philip Seymour Hoffman and Heath Ledger are the first to come to mind -- and I will always be sad about Alan Rickman. However, the death of Diana, Princess of Wales is the one I've never quite gotten over. She was, in many ways, a flawed human being (including behavior we can't discuss here without breaking guidelines), but she also had deeply genuine empathy and courage. She changed the way the world treated AIDS victims simply by sitting at a patient's bedside and holding his hand. That was her brilliance, doing small and heartfelt things that had great impact. The world lost some of its light and kindness without her in it.

Speaking of ones who did not fulfill their potential… Of what they would have been… Harry Chapin.

I miss David Bowie.
But then... maybe not...
His last album Blackstar was published about three days before his death from cancer. He used a completely new group of musicians so as to not let his old band, coworkers and friends know about his failing health. In true Bowie-Chameleon style it’s a complete breakaway from anything else he did, while still being pure Bowie.
The songs are really haunting – imagine a song called Lazarus on an album you know is your last...

So I miss him, knowing that he would possibly have given us a couple of more records, and the chances being that they would either be brilliant or fall short of expectations. But the urgency of his death made him leave us with what I consider one of his best albums.

However, the death of Diana, Princess of Wales is the one I've never quite gotten over. She was, in many ways, a flawed human being (including behavior we can't discuss here without breaking guidelines), but she also had deeply genuine empathy and courage. She changed the way the world treated AIDS victims simply by sitting at a patient's bedside and holding his hand. That was her brilliance, doing small and heartfelt things that had great impact.

I'm actually reading Spare right now. While it's certainly mostly about Harry's experiences, the things he shares about his mom keep reminding me of how difficult that death was for he and William, as well as the rest of the world.