Gone Too Soon: The Real Reason Behind So Many Celebrity Deaths

     Patrick Swayze lost his brave battle with cancer on Monday, September 14, 2009 at the relatively young age of 57. His passing is just one of a slew of beloved celebrities that have passed away during the summer of 2009. Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Walter Cronkite, all provided memories that can’t help but bring a smile to our faces. But with this rash of summer celebrity deaths, it makes you wonder why so many all at once. Is it the old adage, “they always die in threes” coming into play? Or is it something else. Through the years Hollywood has had its share of gone too soon stories. From Marilyn Monroe to River Phoenix to the more recent passing of Heath Ledger. Is it something in the water? Or is it just too much of the pressure and influence of a high visibility lifestyle.

     Celebrities seem to be under extra pressure to stay on top, keep looking their best, and be in the spotlight. Some celebrities seem to handle it better than others. Look at the recent events in the life of Britney Spears. The whole world seemed to watch as she crumbled under the pressure of an obsessive media. Some stars try to escape the media by keeping information from them. Swayze was a good example of this in his last days. His publicist put out reports that he was getting better rather than admit that he had actually stopped treatment altogether, as it was no longer proving effective. He obviously did not wish to be on the same death watch in his last days that Farrah seemed to be on. But more than anything, drugs seem to be the common factor in the early demise of many of our favorites. Michael Jackson’s death has shed new light on this problem, especially after the subsequent release of the coroner’s report concerning his death. The drug Propofol, a drug approved only for use during surgery, was found to be the reason behind his cardiac arrest and death. It seems stars have a never ending access to things that you and I would never dream of. What makes this access so easy? Is it money? Is it fame or power? Who can answer that?

     Let’s look at one theory. Are stars really dying at a higher rate than others? Are they really doing more damage to themselves than the average person? Or are we just feeling it more because of who they are? Farrah, Ted Kennedy, Patrick Swayze, and Mary Travers, of the musical group Peter, Paul, and Mary, all died of cancer. Michael died of drug abuse. Walter Cronkite was at an advanced age. Of these deaths, only Michael Jackson’s was a complete surprise. So were they victims of hollywood, or just a snapshot of today’s lifestyle? Cancer deaths are on the decline, but that doesn’t necessarily mean cancer cases are. And more people these days seem to be getting cancers that are more difficult to cure. So, it is possible that, perhaps, instead of being victims of Hollywood, the truth is, these people all had to face the fact that they were all too human. They were subject to the same lifestyle behaviors and problems we all face. The only difference was, we noticed them because they happened to be in our daily consciousness. Drug use happens every day. Cancer and old age claim lives every day. Its just that most of these events don’t get reported as the lead story on the evening news. So, the next time we hear that a celebrity has passed on, lets honor them for their accomplishments and remember that they are human too. And lets also take time to look every so often at the local obituaries and honor those who don’t have their deaths reported across the nation. We might find it a humbling enough experience to take time and look at situations in our own lives that need fixing and draw enough courage to do something about it. Let that be a lesson we can all take away from the rash of celebrity deaths in the summer of 2009.