this post was submitted on 01 Jun 2025
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Has the news of famous persons death ever made you cry even though you never met them, or a stranger that you knew about but never met? Why did it make you cry?

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[–] disco@lemdro.id 1 points 1 hour ago

Johnny Gaudreau. Hockey player. Johnny Hockey was one of my favorites that wasn't on my favorite team. He was a small guy, who proved everyone wrong. He was a good dude from all the clips and interviews I've seen over the years.

I saw the comment that broke it on reddit, some random guy in the Phillies GDT. Said "Johnny Gaudreau is dead". Spent the night following the rumors until it was confirmed by a retired league ref.

He and his brother, Matt, were in town for their sisters wedding, staying at their dad's house. They were cycling and a drunk driver killed them both, only stopped because the bikes were still under the truck. His wife was pregnant at the time too.

I cycle, I've got brothers and it just hit me so hard. I was fucked up about it for a week at least.

[–] yuri@pawb.social 4 points 2 days ago

bowie didn’t hit me when it happened, but years later blackstar made me weep

[–] vala@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Grant Imahara from mythbusters.

[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I'd say the closest I've come was Robin Williams. Patrick Stewart would probably be even moreso.

[–] Mr_Stellar@lemm.ee 2 points 2 days ago

Robin Williams, David Bowie and Chester beddingfield. Seem to be the most common answer. Williams was a special guy, you could just tell. Probably made the people close to him feel something really loved.

[–] CaptainsLog@lemmings.world 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I would have a breakdown the day Patrick Stewart died.

[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, he feels almost like a second father to me. I think if I ever met him, I'd just want to hug him.

[–] CaptainsLog@lemmings.world 1 points 2 days ago

He seems like a great guy indeed

[–] agnomeunknown@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 days ago

Robin Williams is the only one I remember hitting me really hard. Sometimes it still gets me if I'm in the right (wrong) mood when I remember.

[–] N0body@lemmy.dbzer0.com 29 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Anthony Bourdain hit hard. I always thought of him as having the best job on earth. He got to see the best of the world and show it to everyone.

It just goes to show we all wrestle with our demons. Don’t ever be afraid to reach out for help.

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[–] Vvkishere@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

For me it was when Steve Irwin died.

[–] Mr_Stellar@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It was a shock, but at the same time it gave so much credit to all the other things he did. Never faked it, was most joyous in the face of death over and over again.

[–] Vvkishere@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Agree with all you said. His life was joyous and I think the legacy lives on with how wholesome his family is even now. :)

[–] misfitx@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

My entire high school mourned Mr Rogers' passing. 4,000 people and the hallways were almost quiet.

[–] Mr_Stellar@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago

Respect is earned.

[–] Owlboi@lemm.ee 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

A man only dies when he is forgotten.

Technoblade never dies.

[–] TastyWheat@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

A bloke at work wears a Technoblade shirt all the time, he lives on

[–] socsa@piefed.social 6 points 3 days ago

Anthony Bourdain hit me pretty hard. I was a huge fan starting with Kitchen Confidential and ate up basically everything he produced. But more than just his content, which was great, his worldview and philosophy really spoke to me. It was cynical and angry, without being aimless or shallow. He seemed to be doing something different from everyone else and writing his own rules in a way which had no parallels anywhere in mainstream media.

[–] Iunnrais@lemm.ee 5 points 3 days ago

I mourned, legitimately mourned Terry Pratchett’s death. I don’t even have a parasocial relationship with him in the sense you get with streamers and YouTubers and whatnot. He was just a man who brought wonderful ideas into the world, who focused my understanding of life and so much more, and to hear of his end hurt me bitterly.

[–] WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Without knowing a celebrity personally, you can still resonate deeply with what their art or identity stand for. I shed a tear when David Bowie died because his fearlessness and experimentation was like a beacon to weirdos like me that told us we would be ok if we left the shores of conformity. Plus, he was the funky funky groovy man, man.

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[–] PunnyName@lemmy.world 20 points 4 days ago

Robin Williams. A surprising death, not a surprising break down. He was so much of my childhood, and always there for a laugh. Life got worse for everyone when he passed.

Grant Imahara. A surprising death, and for me, a surprising response. I still to this day get choked up about Grant. Even though he was on the Mythbusters B team, and was largely not on my radar after, hearing of his death really struck me. I still don't rightly understand why. Perhaps it's just because he was such a genuine and smart guy. Really dunno.

[–] NakariLexfortaine@lemm.ee 22 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Sir Terry Pratchett. Actually, probably counts as multiple because the opening to The Shepherds Crown makes me bawl like a child, and it's pretty much a step-by-step guide for mourning.

Discworld has been my comfort series for a long time. I have read most of the books more times than I can count. Spent months tearing through multiple a day.

Of course, his condition was known amongst the fans, we had all known it was going to be sooner than later, but it felt like a long chapter of my life was closed. I had looked forward to every release, cherished them. The man's work had been beside me through some of the hardest times, always bringing a smile back to my face.

[–] eaterofclowns@lemmy.world 8 points 4 days ago

Yeah this one for me, too. It felt like humans lost one of the people who understood them best and still kept caring about them in spite of it all. It took me a long time to face Discworld again and I had to put down Shepherds Crown for a bit at that one part.

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Charles Bradley. He lived on the streets for most of his life. When he became famous he died very shortly after :(

[–] iguessimlemming@lemmy.ml 12 points 4 days ago

David Bowie. I still miss him a lot. I usually don't even really know the names and faces of bands I like, and I wasn't even a big knower of his music, but when I heard he died I cried non stop for a day and a night. He was really something else, this crazy force, changing the whole discourse in music and stardom multiple times in his life. What an awe inspiring character. I wonder who could ever take his place, really.

[–] GraniteM@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I cried when they canceled The Venture Brothers.

My best friends and I watched every new episode when they aired while we were in college. After I graduated we all pretty much drifted apart, but when Publick and Hammer would actually get around to putting out another season it felt like I was back in that dorm lobby on that smelly couch, watching this show on a huge rear protection TV, with a group of people that were closer to me than anyone ever before or since.

When they canceled the show it felt like there was this unicorn at the zoo, and then one day the zookeeper just went out into the enclosure, blew its brains out, shrugged, and announced "Too expensive to feed!" I was devastated.

[–] AWittyUsername@lemmy.world 19 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Er Robin Williams, Chester Bennington. I think suicide always harder.

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[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes. At the memorial for Steve Jobs on Apple's campus. People were speaking in moving ways about their relationships with him. It made it more personal. I can't imagine crying over someone I didn't know without context like that.

[–] Mr_Stellar@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Were you there? Not sure if I’m reading it right but it sounds like you attended?

[–] DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Omayra SΓ‘nchez. Brave in the face of a needless death.

[–] Mr_Stellar@lemm.ee 2 points 2 days ago

I am actually familiar with this story. Incredibly sad and cruel. I remember thinking that if we do come to life to balance our Karma what must she have done to deserve this.

[–] Altomes@lemm.ee 12 points 4 days ago

When Chomsky dies its going to fuck me up HARD. I'm already mentally preparing for it, but that dude has been such an amazing human, he's responded to so many emails, signed so many of my books, and lectured on things in such a way that I've learned a lot

[–] justsquigglez@lemm.ee 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Chester Bennington of Linkin Park low-key destroyed me. I didn't even hear about it when it happened due to a big storm taking out my power for a week. It wasn't until 4 or 5 days after the news hit everyone else when I finally found out.

You can say whatever you want about Linkin Park, but Chester was fucking talented and its still so upsetting to me to think about it.

And then last year, they made Chester die again when they brought on a Scientologist to be the new lead singer. Now Linkin Park as a whole is dead to me.

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[–] curiousaur@reddthat.com 2 points 3 days ago

I wept a bit for Stephen Hawking. He was a rare, special human. When I read what was written on his grave, there next to Newton and Darwin: "Here lies what was mortal of Stephen Hawking 1942 - 2018" I wept a bit. Still do. Did a bit more just now writing that to be honest.

[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 days ago

Did not cry exactly but... if you are like me and you like Babylon 5, do not check up on the cast.

[–] CiderApplenTea@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Almost cried about Dame Maggie Smith. She just seemed like such a stellar person, I really feel like she added value to our society

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[–] Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 days ago

Nah, but a couple surprised me with how much they saddened me because I'd always thought it was kind of stupid to get genuinely upset about the deaths of celebrities you don't know. Sometimes your cognitive opinions take a backseat without your permission and you just feel actually mournful about someone who has so little direct connection and who's worldly contributions are almost always in the entertainment space. For me that was David Bowie and Trevor Moore. Both of these surprised me because it's not like I was a hardcore David Bowie fan so it didn't feel like that death should have hit me particularly hard and Trevor, I still can't figure out why that'd upset me so much. I mean I loved his sketch comedy but I'd largely forgotten about him at the time, I think it might have something to do with him being so young as well as all the laughs he'd given us.

[–] Phen@lemmy.eco.br 8 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Not cried, but Trevor Moore's death shook me as that was the first time someone I enjoyed the work of died while I was still expecting to see more work from them in the future.

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[–] austinfloyd@ttrpg.network 6 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Fred Rogers (of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood). For my generation, he helped to shape our views on kindness and compassion for humankind. He fought for public access funding in the United States. He helped break color barriers on television. He helped us enjoy jazz.

I have not encountered another media personality who was so genuinely invested in making sure that kids had the tools they needed to deal with the emotional parts of existence. I'm tearing up again thinking about how much he did for us.

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[–] TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com 7 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Several.

Because their art changed my life.

And I cry for the compassion aroused about how death came to some strangers.

Yes. Empathy and compassion are present.

[–] schwim@lemm.ee 2 points 3 days ago

Celebrities, no. Pets, definitely.

[–] Naich@lemmings.world 7 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Never cried, but Rik Mayall hit hard, and Lemmy always seemed immortal so it was a shock when he went.

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Stephen Hawking. His books gave me a sense of wonder in high school. Those books are a huge part of what inspired my path in life. When I read he had died, I felt a peice of me leave the earth. I cried for humanity, I felt that we all got a bit dumber, as a whole.

[–] sanguinepar@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

Adam Yauch from the Beastie Boys was one, and David Lynch very recently was another. Both hit really hard :-(

[–] geekwithsoul@lemm.ee 5 points 4 days ago

Jim Henson - I was 19 when he died, and it felt like a central focus of my childhood was suddenly taken away.

[–] theparadox@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I'm not usually impacted by celebrities but I was hit surprisingly hard by the death of John Bain aka TotalBiscuit on YouTube. Why? He just kind of seemed like a regular, fairly young gamer and decent dude who just wanted to let people know whether a game might be worth buying... and then suddenly surprise, cancer. A shit ton of treatment and four years later, gone. It just felt like a reminder that life is random and unfair.

[–] PattyP@lemm.ee 2 points 3 days ago

It really shook me. I started watching his videos and streams when I was 14. Gaming content as we know it was just getting started, and I’m pretty sure he started streaming on justin.tv before it became twitch. It felt like I was part of some new and exciting world, right on the cutting edge.

8 years later, I was 22 and he was dead at 34. There had been a couple kids in my grade that died growing up, but I had never truly been confronted by human mortality and how unfair it could be. It would only be a slight exaggeration to say I listened to him talk every day for over a third of my life. I knew it was coming eventually, but when I saw the news I was truly devastated.

Parasocial relationships are crazy. I was so young (and therefore broke) that I never got to meet him, but his death hit me harder than not only that of a couple pets, but also my great grandmother. In a way it makes sense, I literally β€œspent more time” with him than almost anyone else in the world. That may still be true even today. I don’t regret a minute.

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