Do you remember what you were doing when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated?

What about when Whitney Houston or when Kobe Bryant died?

I bet you remember hearing about at least one celebrity death, especially if it was someone you admire, grew up watching, or brought joy to your life.

Celebrity deaths are a big deal even if you didn’t know them personally.

When you first hear that someone died, your brain almost automatically finds things you wish would have ended differently, better, or more. 

“I never got to thank him for his help.”

“I wish I had a chance to say goodbye.”

“I regret not calling her more.”

Those undelivered communications can keep you stuck in your grief. It’s no different when there are things you wish you could have said to celebrities.

When a celebrity dies, we see a healthy thing that happens on social media, people are honest about their sadness. They don’t hide their grief. 

Remember the social media posts when Robin Williams died? People commented on their childhoods watching Mork & Mindy or about the devastation of mental illness and their experiences with it. They thanked him for the years of entertainment. 

Have you seen the honest social media posts about the death of actor Chadwick Boseman? People are sharing about what his work meant to them, and how shocked they were to hear he had cancer. 

Celebrity deaths are also a good reminder to get complete with the people we do know. When Steve Jobs died it reminded me how much I love Apple products, how long I held out to buy them at first, and that I wanted to thank my dad and brother for introducing them to me.  

So let this be a reminder. Contact people when you think about it. Say what you need to say. And know that it’s normal and natural to grieve a death, whether you knew the person or not.  

Learn more about The Grief Recovery Method here. 

Photo credit: 123rf.com