Celebrities Who Passed Away In 2020: In Memoriam Of Stars We've Lost

Dec 25, 2020

The year 2020 has been a devastating one to the whole world. From deadly forest fires in Australia to a global pandemic that still has its grips on public life around the globe, it's safe to say we're glad we're soon able to put it in the rear-view mirror. The year also saw us say goodbye to many cherished stars, whose lives have left a mark on culture forever. We're taking a look back at just some of the legends who have passed away this year and celebrating their remarkable careers. 

On January 26, 2020, the world went into shock upon finding out NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna "GiGi" Bryant, had passed away in a tragic helicopter accident that morning.

According to the Washington Post, Bryant and his daughter were riding the S-76 helicopter with another six passengers and a pilot when it crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California. There were no survivors.

In the weeks following the tragic accident, thousands of fans flocked to the Staples Center in L.A. to show their grief and left items like flowers, stuffed animals, memorabilia, and even fan art. It took 12 hours for the center's staff to remove the items. Staples Center President Lee Zeidman revealed on Twitter that, in total, they counted 1,353 basketballs, 14 giant banners, 25,000 candles, 5,000 handwritten messages, 500 stuffed animals, and more than 350 pairs of shoes. All the items were given to Bryant's widow, Natalia Bryant. 

A memorial was organized in honor of the father-daughter duo a bit less than a month later at the Staples Center, which saw celebrities, family, and a plethora of grieving fans gather to mourn their untimely deaths. Natalia Bryant gave a moving speech in tribute to her late daughter and husband, leaving no dry eye in the building. 

"My baby girl. Gianna Bryant is an amazingly sweet and gentle soul," she said of her daughter, according to CNN. "She was very thoughtful and always kissed me good night and kissed me good morning."

"The greatest of all time, a writer, an Oscar winner, and the Black Mamba," she later continued, speaking of her husband. "But to me he was KobKob, my Boo-Boo, my Bae-Boo, my papi chulo. I was his VeBe, his principessa, his reina, Queen Mama -- Mamba -- and his [inaudible nickname]."

"I couldn't see him as a celebrity nor just an incredible basketball player. He was my sweet husband and the beautiful father of my children. He was mine. He was my everything," Natalia Bryant added.

Fans across the globe have since started a petition calling for the NBA to feature Kobe Bryant on their logo in place of his mentor, Jerry West. While the petition has garnered over 3 million signatures, the NBA said in a statement that they would never change the logo. 

Kirk Douglas, one of the last remaining actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood, passed away on February 5 at the remarkable age of 103 in his Beverly Hills, California home.

The actor encompassed the scrappy, tough-guy role in Hollywood movies for decades, playing cowboys, soldiers, and most significantly, a Roman slave. It was his role in "Spartacus" cemented his legacy as one of the biggest stars in history. 

But even prior to the superstar-making turn, he had already been nominated for three Oscars for best actor as Vincent Van Gogh in 1956's Lust for Life, a film producer in The Bad and the Beautiful, 1952, and as a boxer in Champion, 1949, as per the BBC. Over seven decades, Kirk amassed over 90 film credits.

The achievements in acting prove Kirk's determination after growing up poor in Amsterdam, New York in a family of 9. NPR reports that he worked hard to bring himself out of poverty in odd jobs before landing in the Navy and then on the Broadway stage.

His son Michael Douglas, who has followed in his father's acting footsteps, posted the sad news on his Instagram:

"It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103. To the world he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to."

A 1996 stroke later in life, which he later recovered from and returned to acting, left him with impaired speech and made him turn to writing, including the novels Dance With the Devil, and Last Tango in Brooklyn, as well as a series of memoirs as per The New York Times.

With hits like Lucille, Lady, and Islands in the Stream, beloved country musician Kenny "The Gambler" Rogers had established himself as a treasured cultural icon in the U.S.A. So naturally, after news broke that he had died on March 20, the whole country was thrown into a shock. According to ABC, Rogers died in his home at Sandy Springs, Georgia, under hospice care of natural causes. He was 81.

Many stars have been hit hard by Rogers' death, with his music having a great influence on country and pop singers alike. His old friend Dolly Parton, with whom he had collaborated on multiple occasions, wrote a touching tribute to him on Twitter in the wake of his passing: 

"You never know how much you love somebody until they're gone. I've had so many wonderful years and wonderful times with my friend Kenny, but above all the music and the success I loved him as a wonderful man and a true friend."

A few weeks following his death, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Rascal Flatts, and other country stars joined forces to perform on the virtual CMT GIANTS Kenny Rogers: A Benefit For MusiCares event. The benefit had raised funds for the MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund, which aimed to help those in the music industry in need of financial support amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The show featured performances, rare archive footage of Rogers himself, and interviews with stars, including Gavin DeGraw, Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Jennifer Nettles, Lady Antebellum, and Michael McDonald, Randy Houser, and Vince Gill. 

According to Deadline, Roger's hit song The Gambler was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame on December 21.

Few won't remember the classic movie Gone with the Wind, a timeless story starring the two-time Oscar winner, Olivia de Havilland.

The last surviving cast member of the iconic film, de Havilland died on July 26 of natural causes at the impressive age of 104. 

The esteemed actor enjoyed many years of success in Hollywood as a gorgeous starlet before retiring in 1989, with over 50 films on her resume. Her last screen performance was in the 1988 HTV romantic television drama, The Woman He Loved.

Yet even decades following her retirement, de Havilland continued to be regarded as an international treasure. In 2017, just weeks before de Havilland's 101st birthday, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed the great honor of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire on the actor for her contributions to Drama.

As she approached her 100th birthday, the Dame spoke to Vanity Fair about what she attributed her long life to:

"The three * L'*s—love, laughter, and light," the Dame said.

After 30 years of being the face of Jeopardy!, quintessential TV host Alex Trebek died on November 8 at the age of 80, a bit over a year after doctors diagnosed him with stage IV pancreatic cancer. 

Trebek first announced his diagnosis through the Jeopardy! Youtube channel in March 2019, keeping with his "long-time policy of being open and transparent." The host told fans he had been diagnosed that same week with stage IV pancreatic cancer, an illness that "50,000 other people in the United States" are diagnosed with each year. In true Alex Trebek fashion, he told fans he did not plan on stepping down as the host of "Jeopardy!" – and he remained true to his word until the very end. According to People, his last day in the studio was October 29 – just ten days before he died. His final episode is set to air on Christmas day.

Trebek's career in television took off in the '60s at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, before he moved to the United States in 1973 to work as a game show host. In 1984, Trebek joined Jeopardy!, which he hosted until the very end. 

His death prompted many prominent figures to speak out about Trebek's impact on their own lives — from celebrities such as Viola Davies and Jimmy Kimmel to sports personalities such as Michael Strahan. Even the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, expressed his condolences. It is undoubtedly clear that Trebek has made a deep and meaningful mark on everyone who has met him and shared the joy of watching him excel during his TV career. 

Our condolences go out to the friends of families of all the figures we lost this year. Have we left out a celebrity who left us that you would like to whom you would like to pay tribute? Give them a shout-out in the comments, and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family.