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Are you a fan macabre content material? Subscribe to the That Acquired Darkish e-newsletter to get your weekly dopamine repair of the macabre delivered RIGHT to your inbox!You’ve most likely heard folks say that superstar deaths are available threes — it is what’s generally known as the superstar dying “Rule of Three.” This popular culture perception is not primarily based on something scientific, however extra on how our brains like to identify patterns, particularly throughout emotional or surprising occasions. When a few well-known folks cross away shut collectively, we are inclined to search for a 3rd. In actuality, it’s only a coincidence, however as a result of it occurs typically sufficient — and we bear in mind it when it does — it looks like an actual factor. Listed here are some in style examples:Malcolm‑Jamal Warner, finest recognized for taking part in Theo on The Cosby Present, died of unintentional drowning on July 20, 2025, on the age of 54, whereas on trip in Costa Rica. Warner was swimming within the sea when he bought caught in a robust rip present. He was delivered to shore by bystanders, acquired care from the Pink Cross, however was in the end pronounced useless on the scene.Ozzy Osbourne (born John Michael Osbourne) died on July 22, 2025, on the age of 76, after a long time of problems with Parkinson’s illness, which he was identified with in 2003, and different well being points. He reportedly died peacefully at dwelling in England together with his household by his facet.Hulk Hogan (actual identify Terry Gene Bollea) died on July 24, 2025, on the age of 71, of cardiac arrest at his dwelling in Clearwater, Florida. Paramedics carried out CPR on the scene for over half-hour, however he couldn’t be revived.Ed McMahon — finest referred to as Johnny Carson’s longtime sidekick on The Tonight Present together with his iconic line, “Heeeeere’s Johnny!”— died on June 23, 2009, on the age of 86, of a number of well being problems, together with bone most cancers and pneumonia. He handed away peacefully at UCLA Medical Heart in Los Angeles, surrounded by household.Farrah Fawcett died on June 25, 2009, on the age of 62, of anal most cancers in Santa Monica, California. After an preliminary analysis in 2006 and a quick remission in 2007, the most cancers returned and unfold to her liver regardless of therapy. She spent her last days at St. John’s Well being Heart with shut mates and accomplice Ryan O’Neal by her facet.Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, on the age of fifty, of cardiac arrest brought on by an unintentional overdose of a robust sleep medicine referred to as propofol, together with different sedatives. His private physician, Conrad Murray, had given him the medication to assist him sleep, however they ended up stopping his coronary heart. Michael was discovered unresponsive at his dwelling in Los Angeles and couldn’t be revived. Murray was later discovered responsible of involuntary manslaughter for his position in Michael’s dying.3.
July, August, and September 1997 — Gianni Versace, Princess Diana, Mom TeresaGianni Versace was shot and killed on July 15, 1997, on the age of fifty, outdoors his dwelling in Miami by a person named Andrew Cunanan. Cunanan, who was already wished for a number of different murders, shot Versace twice behind the pinnacle on the steps of his mansion. Versace died immediately, and Cunanan died by suicide days later after a nationwide manhunt.Princess Diana died on Aug. 31, 1997, on the age of 36, in a automobile crash in a tunnel in Paris whereas being chased by paparazzi. She was within the automobile along with her boyfriend Dodi Fayed, their driver, and a bodyguard. An official investigation later dominated her dying as “illegal killing” because of reckless driving by each the driving force and the paparazzi.Mom Teresa died on Sept. 5, 1997, on the age of 87, after years of combating coronary heart issues. She had suffered a number of coronary heart assaults and different well being points, and her dying was brought on by coronary heart failure. Regardless of her sickness, she continued to serve the poor and sick till shortly earlier than her passing.4.
December 2016 — George Michael, Carrie Fisher, and Debbie ReynoldsGeorge Michael died in his sleep on Dec. 25, 2016, on the age of 53. The official reason for dying was coronary heart failure because of an enlarged and infected coronary heart (referred to as dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis), together with fatty liver illness. His dying was dominated as pure causes.Carrie Fisher died on Dec. 27, 2016, on the age of 60, after going into cardiac arrest on a flight. Her official reason for dying was listed as sleep apnea and coronary heart illness, with medication like cocaine, heroin, and MDMA additionally present in her system. The precise position the medication performed wasn’t clear, so the way of dying was dominated as undetermined. Her daughter, Billie Lourd, later stated Fisher’s lengthy wrestle with habit and psychological sickness in the end led to her dying.Debbie Reynolds died on Dec. 28, 2016, on the age of 84, simply at some point after her daughter Carrie Fisher. The reason for dying was a stroke, particularly bleeding within the mind, with hypertension listed as a contributing issue. Many imagine grief, or “damaged coronary heart syndrome,” performed a job, however Reynolds’ dying was formally attributed to pure causes associated to the stroke.5.
January 2016 — David Bowie, Alan Rickman, and Glenn FreyDavid Bowie died on Jan. 10, 2016, on the age of 69 from liver most cancers. He had been quietly battling the sickness for about 18 months, however saved it non-public from the general public. Simply two days earlier than his dying, he launched his last album, Blackstar, which many noticed as his approach of claiming goodbye.Alan Rickman died on Jan. 14, 2016, on the age of 69 from pancreatic most cancers. He had been identified with the sickness in 2015 after a minor stroke led to additional exams, however he saved it non-public, sharing the information solely with shut family and friends. His dying got here as a shock to many, as the general public was unaware of his situation.Glenn Frey — the co‑founding guitarist, singer, and songwriter of the Eagles — died on Jan. 18, 2016, at age 67 in New York Metropolis. In line with his household and band, he handed away after problems from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis, and pneumonia.6.
April and June 2016 — Prince, Muhammad Ali, Anton YelchinPrince died on April 21, 2016, on the age of 57 from an unintentional overdose of fentanyl, a robust opioid. He had taken a counterfeit capsule that he believed was a prescription painkiller like Vicodin, nevertheless it was laced with fentanyl. The official reason for dying was listed as “fentanyl toxicity,” and authorities dominated it an accident, with no indicators of foul play.Muhammad Ali handed away on June 3, 2016, on the age of 74, of septic shock, a life-threatening entire‑physique response to an an infection. He’d been battling Parkinson’s illness for many years, and his respiratory well being worsened earlier than he went into septic shock. His dying was formally described as because of pure causes.Anton Yelchin tragically died on June 19, 2016, on the age of 27 in Los Angeles. The official reason for dying was blunt traumatic asphyxia, after he was fatally crushed and suffocated when his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward down a driveway and pinned him between a mailbox and a safety fence. Yelchin’s dad and mom ended up submitting a lawsuit with Fiat Chrysler (the makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee) and reached a confidential settlement.7.
July and August 2014 — James Garner, Robin Williams, Lauren BacallJames Garner died on July 19, 2014, on the age of 86, at his dwelling in Brentwood, Los Angeles. The official reason for dying recorded on his dying certificates was acute myocardial infarction — a coronary heart assault. He had been residing with coronary artery illness, which doubtless led to the deadly coronary heart occasion, and his passing was dominated as pure causes.Robin Williams died on Aug. 11, 2014, on the age of 63. The Marin County coroner formally dominated his dying a suicide by asphyxia because of hanging, with no proof of foul play or use of alcohol or illicit medication. An post-mortem additionally revealed he had been affected by diffuse Lewy physique dementia (a type of progressive dementia).Lauren Bacall handed away on Aug. 12, 2014, on the age of 89, after struggling a large stroke at her dwelling in New York Metropolis. Her household confirmed the stroke was the reason for dying, and he or she was later pronounced useless at New York‑Presbyterian Hospital.8.
January and Feb. 2012 — Etta James, Don Cornelius, Whitney HoustonEtta James died on Jan. 20, 2012, on the age of 73. The official reason for dying was problems from leukemia, and he or she additionally suffered from dementia and kidney failure, which contributed to her general decline. Her dying certificates categorised it as pure causes. She handed away in Riverside, California, surrounded by household.Don Cornelius, creator of Soul Prepare, died by suicide on Feb. 1, 2012, on the age of 75. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the pinnacle at his dwelling in California. He had been combating severe well being issues and melancholy for years, particularly after surgical procedure for a mind aneurysm within the Eighties.Whitney Houston died on Feb. 11, 2012, on the age of 48, after drowning in her lodge bathtub. The coroner concluded it was an unintentional drowning, with underlying coronary heart illness and up to date cocaine use taking part in vital roles.9.
October 2023 — Burt Younger, Richard Roundtree, and Matthew PerryBurt Younger, recognized for his Oscar-nominated position as Paulie within the Rocky movies, died on Oct. 8, 2023, at age 83 in Los Angeles. His dying certificates listed the official trigger as cardiac arrest, with contributing circumstances together with a myocardial infarction (coronary heart assault), atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat), and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).Richard Roundtree, who famously performed the enduring John Shaft, handed away on Oct. 24, 2023, on the age of 81, at his dwelling in Los Angeles. The official reason for dying was pancreatic most cancers, a analysis he had been battling for a quick interval earlier than his passing.Matthew Perry died on Oct. 28, 2023, on the age of 54, from the acute results of ketamine, which prompted his coronary heart and respiratory to cease, resulting in unconsciousness and drowning in his scorching tub. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner dominated his dying an accident. Contributing components included coronary artery illness and the presence of buprenorphine, a medicine used for opioid habit therapy, which can have made him extra weak.10.
December 2006 — James Brown, former President Gerald Ford, and Saddam HusseinJames Brown died on Dec. 25, 2006, at age 73. The official reason for dying, listed by Atlanta’s Emory College Hospital Midtown, was congestive coronary heart failure ensuing from problems of pneumonia.Gerald R. Ford, the thirty eighth President of the US, died on Dec. 26, 2006, at age 93, in his dwelling in Rancho Mirage, California, of heart problems.Saddam Hussein formally died by execution by hanging on Dec. 30, 2006, following his conviction for crimes towards humanity — particularly for ordering the killing of 148 Shi‘ite villagers in Dujail in 1982. His dying was carried out at Camp Justice in Baghdad and recorded as a judicial execution somewhat than a medical reason for dying.11.
Lastly, Feb. 3, 1959 — Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Large BopperOn Feb. 3, 1959, rock and roll icons Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Large Bopper” Richardson all died in a airplane crash close to Clear Lake, Iowa. The small chartered plane they had been flying in took off shortly after a live performance and crashed inside minutes because of pilot error in poor visibility circumstances — not one of the passengers survived the influence.Do you like ~darkish~ content material like this? Subscribe to the That Acquired Darkish e-newsletter to get your weekly dopamine repair of the macabre delivered RIGHT to your inbox!
