23 Stars Who Passed Away Silently

Therefore, here we will be talking about such legends whose departures were hard to believe, the stars who passed away silently.

23. Rob Knox

Remember the ice cream-loving Ravenclaw Marcus Belby of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? The role was justified with the performance not to be ignored by Rob Knox. Well, he could have been far more known than that if he would have survived the untimely death. Belby was his biggest role as past to this, nothing advanced in his career.

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Knox was all set to appear on the big screen again, in fact, he had signed on to reprise his role for the next movie of Harry Potter series- the Deathly Hallows. But before the shooting would have commenced, a tragedy took back everything. Knox was brutally murdered by a man with knife. On May 24, 2008, he went to a pub in London with his brother; a man waving knives came to them and screamed to take up the gauntlet. He ran after Knox’s brother but Knox rushed quickly to defend his brother. Unfortunately, in this scuffle Rob Knox got four time stab wounds causing his untimely death. He left the world at the age of 18.

22. Amanda Peterson

In 1987, when Can’t Buy Me Love released, the one who won millions of hearts was a 15 year old with her breakout role of Cindy Mancini. That teen girl was Amanda Peterson who soon obtained the status of teen idol and was on the cover of many popular magazines. However, the shining moment of this teen star burned everything way too shortly.  After a decade, Peterson indulged herself into drug habit and from there onwards she was booked several times for drug possession and assault.

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On July 5, 2015, a shocking news made the headlines, Amanda Peterson’s was found dead at her Colorado apartment.  She died two days ago and police discovered her body after her parents got worried that their daughter hadn’t spoken with them since last two days.  As per the reports, there was a cocktail of drugs in the system of 43 year old Amanda and she died of respiratory failure.

In a scene of ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ Cindy Mancini said “the moon looks different now, it’s not as mysterious or romantic as before.”  It seemed to be so true when everything was open about Amanda’s life.

21. Manute Bol

 With his super tall height of 7’7″ NBA star Manute Bol had a big humanitarian heart as well. That is why his absence pains more.

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His game career was not so flourished and he retired after ten seasons. Thereafter, he became an advocate for Sudan Sunrise an organization promoting “reconciliation in Sudan.” Being political activist he put rest of his life in social welfare for the people of Sudan. He built houses and schools to make Sudan a nicer place for the children. He used to counter the corruption in politics.

Unfortunately, his life was not as long as his height.  He developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome that is a terrible skin problem. He got to suffer with kidney failure as well.

20. Craig Sager

You must have seen a pleasant personality guy wearing colourful suits, doing sports reporting for CNN. Yes, you got it right we are talking about Craig Sager. He is often regarded as the Rod Roddy of sports.  Working actively during 1972-2016 he covered an array of sports. He was endearing for whoever watch him.

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Unfortunately, on December 15, 2016, Sager at the age of 65 lost his life after battling for two-year with acute myeloid leukemia. You will be amazed to know that he had been given only 3-6 months to survive but he with his strong willpower made it 2 years.

19. Talia Joy Castellano

 Talia Joy Castellano, was an internet celebrity, better known for her YouTube channel ‘TaliaJoy18’, featuring makeup tutorials. But this little star didn’t shine way too long as cancer took her away too early. She died unbelievingly at just 13 and was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 7.

She doesn’t make her eat up badly instead she challenged the disease with making life beautiful. She started her YouTube channel featuring makeup and beauty tutorials. She soon became popular and in 2012 appeared on Ellen.

On July 16, 2013, Talia Joy Castellano passed away but she left behind her memories with happy and smiling face.

18. Reggie Lewis

 Reggie Lewis was all set to become a great NBA player but sadly he died way too soon before he could rise. His death not just hit the Boston community but also the entire NBA. He was just 27 but his achievement was over a ton. He made records that nobody had ever thought, from 1988-1993 he scored 7500 points, 1,500 rebounds, 1,000 assists, and 500 steals.

July 27, 1993, while doing the practice Lewis collapsed on the court. This was not the first time he had collapsed but it became the last. As he didn’t woke up again. He died of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, it’s a common athletic ailment leading to heart thickening and causing cardiac arrest.

17. Rebecca Schaeffer

 Rebecca Schaeffer was all set to become a leading actress but destiny had planned a sad fate. Sad for her family and her fans. But it was one of her evil fan only who ruined a prospective superstar. Schaeffer had bagged many major roles. She was featured on the cover page of Seventeen Magazine. In fact she was into consideration for the title role in Pretty Woman.

Unfortunately, her beauty became the reason behind her death. One of her fan, Robert Bardo get obsessed for her, he somehow managed to get the actress home address. He went to her door and the interaction turned into argument and he shot Schaeffer in the heart.  Robert Bardo was arrested and sentenced life imprisonment.

16. Tony Burton

 Living with the tides of life, Tony Burton saw many ups and down. This ex-boxer turned actor fought his last battle with pneumonia but this time the result didn’t favour him. He died of his illness at the age of 78, on February 25, 2016. He is better known as Duke, the hard ass boxing trainer in the Rocky series. He did supporting role in six Rocky films, out of which the latest one was in 2006 sequel, Rocky Balboa.

But his boxing career is not to be ignored. He had been a two time light-heavy weight champion before his retirement in 1959. He later got interest in acting and he stepped in with his first role in film The Black Godfather .

15. Stevie Ryan

 YouTube has given birth many of the celebrities but some of them are no more alive to rejoice the fame.  One of them is Stevie Ryan who got millions of followers through her Little Loca show. Once getting the popularity she got her own sketch comedy show Stevie TV on VH1.

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But she couldn’t handle the death of her grandfather and gradually went into depression. She even talked about her illness on Mentally Ch(ill) podcast, she said, “I’m just worried that this is going to send me into a deeper depression.” Sadly, two days after she talked about her beloved grandfather, on July 1, 2017, this funny lady took her life by hanging herself to death.

14. Omar Sharif

 Though he was a star who emerged decades ago, but his unforgettable performances are still young and fresh. We are talking about Omar Sharif, the Egyptian actor who stole the hearts of many with his remarkable performances as Sherif Ali in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and the title role in Doctor Zhivago.

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These roles brought him a booming career ahead in the US.  The 13th Warrior (1999) and Hidalgo (2004) are few of his movies that can help youths in recognizing his face.

It was early 2015, when Omar Sharif was diagnosed with Alzheimer.  Same year in July he had a heart attack and on July 10, 2015 he died at the age of 83 in Cairo, Egypt.  Those few months before his death were perhaps the most heartbreaking. For instance, he remembered that he was an actor but recalling the years when those movies were made was difficult for him.

 13. Arnold Palmer

 Being called ‘the King’ is not about just getting a nickname, there must be some exceptional qualities that make you superior among all, like Arnold Palmer. Nicknamed as ‘the King’, Arnold was one of the most popular golf stars and was seen as the trailblazer. That is why he was often called the godfather of golf and a god on the green.  Performing splendidly between 1955 and 1973, Arnold got victories in 62 PGA tour events.

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In 2012, Arnold was awarded Congressional Gold Medal and he became sixth athlete in history to receive this honour. He inspired thousands with his beautiful career of over 60 years.  On September 25, 2016, Arnold passed away at the age of 87 after suffering heart issues.

12. George Martin

 One can never talk about the Beatles Band without taking the name of George Martin.  In fact it is said that if George Martin had not been there, there would not have been the Beatle Band. Probably, it was Martin who helped the band turning into an international sensation.  John Lennon himself said that “Martin made us what we were in the studio.”  That is why it is no wonder why this legend producer was regarded as the fifth Beatle.

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George worked closely with the Beatles Band, starting from the recording of ‘Please Please Me’ (1962) and refined their talent and soundl.  Years later, after the breakup with Beatles, Martin continued his production work for Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. Kenny Rogers, Celine Dion, and Elton John are some other musical stars with whom George Martin worked.

On March 8, 2016, 90 year old eminent recording producer Martin died in his sleep but the reason of his death still unknown.

11. Kenny Baker

 Kenny Baker was an actor whose face was rarely seen on screen but still he was one of the most recognizable actors in the film industry. Height of 3’8” never bothered Kenny and he touched the sky with his talent in acting. Right from ‘A New Hope’ (1977) to Revenge of the Sith (2005), Kenny Baker acted in all the Star Wars featuring R2-D2.

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He not just shined in Star Wars films; in fact Kenny Baker showed his power packed acting in Time Bandits, Labyrinth, Willow, and The Elephant Man.  A year after his last movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Baker breathed last on August 13, 2016. He was suffering from prolonged lung condition. According to the reports, 81 year old Baker died peacefully in his sleep.

10. Junior Seau

 Football though is an exciting game but sometimes it has some terrible effects as well.  You will believe this fact after knowing what happened to Junior Seau. Yes, we are talking about Junior Seau, the linebacker in the National Football League (NFL).  He had 20 years of his career in playing for NFL but strangely he was never ever diagnosed with a concussion. Seau got to suffer many concussions but sadly none of them was ever noticed nor were they diagnosed.

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He retired after the 2009 season and on May 2, 2012 there was news that left Seau’s fan in shock.  He shot himself in his chest and ended his life. But the only thing that bothered everyone was what made him to take such big step?  His wife and son consulted the National Institutes of Health (NIH) who studied Seau’s brain. The reports then revealed that this late former player was suffering from severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).  This was perhaps due to the countless time he was hit on his head over 20 years. His mental health deteriorated to the extent where he was unable to think logically. And, this could be possibly the reason behind his suicide.

9.Kirby Puckett

 Kirby Puckett used to made big impact in a very less time but his fan wanted him to have a longer life. This baseball player was Hall of Famer who led to win two World Series championships with the Minnesota Twins.

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In 1996, Career of Puckett got cut short when he was diagnosed with glaucoma. He started gaining weight and soon developed the condition of overweight. On March 5, 2006, Puckett got a severe stroke and he died a day later. He left behind memories & he taught the legacy of playing sports at the highest level with great enthusiasm every time.

8. Nick Lashaway

 Nick Lashaway though started his career at a very young age but unfortunately he didn’t become the name with fame. If given some more time he could have shown his unprecedented talent for sure.  You can get to see his little known talent as Frank on HBO’s Girls, The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005), In Time (2011) and The Last Song (2010). In 2015, Nick Lashaway reprised his role of young Fox Mulder of ‘The X-Files’ which was earlier released in 1998, when he was just 10.

 

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Just heard the incredibly sad news that Nick Lashaway was killed in a car accident on May 8th. Nick was such a talented, funny and kind person and we were so lucky to have him as a part of our Girls family when he played Frank in episode 207. We will always remember the week we shared with him, his playful smile, his easy instincts, how much he made us laugh even when we had to stay up all night in the woods. We are sending love to his family and friends and feeling such gratitude for his gifts. RIP sweet Nick.

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On May 8, 2016, Nick lost his life in a car accident. He died at the age of 28 when many of the stars just step into the industry.

7. Kimbo Slice

 The world got the first glimpse of Kimbo Slice after a sensational YouTube video showing a large, bearded man fighting in backyards.  In his first fighting video, he made a large cut on the opponent’s right eye. Watching this, his internet fan started calling him Slice, that later became his last name with his childhood nickname, Kimbo.

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In 2008, Kimbo Slice became a professional MMA fighter. When he fought professionally for the third time, it became the first MMA match broadcasted on television on prime-time.

On June 6, 2016, sadly he lost the fight to his life. He died of heart failure and was also diagnosed with a mass on Liver.

6. David Huddleston

 When you are tuned into The Big Lebowski it is impossible to watch without cracking up at David Huddleston’s performance. Many of you though won’t recognize him with his name but his face is enough to remind his unforgettable journey.

However, his journey of life came to an end and on August 2, 2016 Huddleston died at 85 after fighting long with heart and kidney problems.  His wife later talked about him and told that Huddleston lived life larger the roles he played.

5. Dino Bravo

 Dino Bravo a WWF star who was not big in name but he was among the strongest WWF stars.  His huge sized body (allegedly steroid aided) perhaps became the reason for his downfall.  He had a flourishing career and was employed throughout the 80’s but the twist in his life came in 1992. He started wrestling less frequently and found himself sidelined with the WWF.

Bravo who didn’t have knowledge about things other than wrestling, had no any saving or bank balance for daily needs. Eventually, he got involved into crime through his uncle, he joined a cigarette smuggling ring in Quebec.  It was not even a year; on March 10, 1993 he was brutally murdered. He was hit by 17 bullets, there were 7 bullets hit to his head and 10 to the torso. It all happened when he was relaxed and watching hockey at his home. It was his role in cigarette smuggling which he paid with his life.

4. Steven Hill

 With his over 50 years of show business, Steven Hill deserved to called a talented, versatile actor. Like other hugging the spotlight Hill stayed away from it. And it was his own acting skills that made him one of the great faces of television.

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Whether it was his time on Mission: Impossible (it’s a TV show of the ’60s not the films) or 10-year run as Adam Schiff on Law & Order, Hill always performed the best with his down-to-earth quality to the characters he portrayed on-screen. He passed away at the age of 94 in New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital on August 23, 2016.

3. Rod Taylor

 When it is talked about the legacy in Hollywood Rod Taylor is one that becomes quite obvious. The younger generation might not recognize him but his famous role in the Hitchcock thriller The Birds (1963) is worth remembering. During the ’60s and ’70s, Rod appeared in over 30 movies.

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For youths the picture will get clear with his role of Winston Churchill in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (2009). Even at the age of 78 he proved he still has the same enthusiasm for acting but that came as his final role. On January 7, 2015,Rod Taylor died of unknown causes just four days before his 85th birthday.

2. Ray Combs

 In 1988, the famous Family Feud show was re-launched, three years after Richard Dawson, host of the show, retired. This time the hold was handed to Ray Combs. But audiences didn’t applaud him and by 1994 his stint on the show was done.

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The moment Ray Combs was sidelined from the show his life started playing foul. It was negativity all around. He made many bad financial decisions; he got to deal with a divorce ad making his situation even worst was the severe injury he had in his spine in an auto accident. All these failure made him fall into severe depression. In June 1996, Police were seen at Combs’ house, he was trashing his place and trying to hurt himself. He was immediately sent in psychiatric care but nothing came as good. Next day, on June 2, 1996, Combs ended his life, hanging himself with a hospital bed sheet.

1. Hector Camacho

 When Hector “Macho” Camacho used to fight, his fans knew that they are going to watch a fantastic boxing with superb entertainment. Therefore, he was known to be a great boxer as well as an entertainer. However, since 2010 Camacho didn’t play any boxing game.  He was instead involved in battle of drug problems. He even pooled himself with legal troubles.

But what came as more shocking was an incident on November 20, 2012; Camacho was seated in the passenger seat of Ford Mustang car with his friend on driver seat. They were shot by some unknown people sitting inside a car and approaching Camacho and his friend. The bullet went straight to Camacho’s left side of his face.  Four days later when he was shot, Camacho was taken off life support and was declared dead. Unfortunately, he couldn’t win the battle of his life.