Been wondering this for a while. Another celebrity dies, no cause of death given except that it happened “after a brief illness”.
How many brief illnesses are fatal?
For that matter, how many causes of death are so shameful that no one wants to say it aloud?
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Which celebrity committed suicide?
“How many brief illnesses are fatal?”
Not saying it was or wasn’t suicide, but there are actually a lot of “brief” illnesses that are fatal. You can catch a disease or virus which can kill you quite quickly.
I’ve been seeing it a lot in the last few years, but the most recent one is Cindy Williams (Shirley in Laverne & Shirley). She was 75 so it could’ve been a number of things, but it could also have been suicide to avoid the pain. Suicide is huge in 65+ ages for that reason.
For that matter, a lot of celebrities die “after a battle with cancer” even though no actual cause of death is given. I believe a lot of these are voluntary euthanasia… The person is already old, has led a good life, and the ravages of cancer and/or old age are an unnecessary pain.
For example, look up David Bowie, no official cause of death given except that he had been recently diagnosed with stomach cancer and died the day after his birthday party when he also released his final album. The perfect way to go, on his own terms, riding high. He died at home surrounded by loved ones and a “physician present” is all the news reported.
I’m 100% sure Bowie was assisted suicide though it’s not legal in UK so he had to do it under the radar. And it gets you thinking, how many other celebrities in their old age also do assisted suicide under the radar? And how many do outright unassisted suicide with the information being stifled by the news so not to create “suicide contagion” or whatever reason they use to squelch these discussions?
A less badass example than Bowie is George Michael who died the day after Christmas which was also the day after his mother’s death anniversary. He died mysteriously sitting in his car outside his house after sone sort of argument or tension with his partner. Right after, his partner openly posted on social media that it was suicide, something like “he finally did it”. But soon after that all those posts disappeared and he was quiet, eventually claiming he was hacked. Months or maybe years later the official cause of death was given, something like heart failure due to long term drug use.
I’m just annoyed that the word “suicide” is some sort of hex and nobody wants to admit when a person has done it. Even though it’s clear as day. I wish we’d just get the right to end it already, I wish society will one day accept “if you kill yourself, nobody will think any less of you” (or rather, it’s the family who should be told these things since they’re the ones withholding information). But who am I kidding.
On the other hand, there’s this:
“Legendary actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried died “after a long illness,” his family announced on April 12.”
He died of a “long illness.”
Sometimes the family just doesn’t want the celebrity’s legacy to be tarnished by however way they died, which is their every right.
It’s surprising how quick the body can fail. Most infections kill very quickly, example Jim Henson had one in his lungs that the doctors said if they’d gotten to it hours earlier they would have saved him.
Most people keep their infirmities hidden though, regardless of what they are. I think about Shelly Duvall who is definitely still alive, but in a state that causes anyone who sees it to think less of her…. she was one of my heroes, and it’s sad how her mental health has become so frail.
There’s only limited appeal to broadcasting your infirmity to the general population. We talk about it here, but only with anonymity which allows us to imagine any variety of persons on the other side of the screen. I think of people I’ve loved and lost, because I’m a sap.
Agreed, nobody needs to broadcast their suffering. But after death, why withhold information unless there was something unacceptable (by society’s standards) about the illness? I would think it might even give commiseration to others also dying from that ailment. Or ideally, more attention could be given to the treatment in the future. Hell, depression itself is an illness that could use better treatment if people would take it seriously.
a sap? so not so heartless after all, eh? 😉
as my idiotic governor said, that was always aspirational