Real stories behind 15 most shocking celebrity deaths which left us devastated

When a celebrity you admire so deeply leaves the world, it often leaves an everlasting impact on your existence.

Despite them not knowing you personally, their death still affects you to a point that might leave you traumatised and grieving over them.

Here’s a list of 15 celebrities who died tragically at young ages that might or might've not left you devastated.

Take a look:

Liam Payne

The One Direction bandmate died form multiple traumas and hemorrhages resulting from a fall atop a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Liam breathed his last at the young age of 31 on October 16, 2024, and was found to be unresponsive, with alcohol and cocaine in his system.

Heath Ledger

The actor was at the peak of his stardom and fame when he died on January 28, 2008 at the young age of 28.

He had been nominated for an Oscar for 2005’s Brokeback Mountain and was set for another glittering achievement for The Dark Knight when he was found dead in his New York apartment.

According to CNN, police said he died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications, including painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs, and sleeping pills.

Unfortunately, Heath didn't live long enough to witness his win at the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the Joker.

Kobe Bryant

The renowned basketball player died in a horrific helicopter accident at the age of 41.

He had won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

On the morning of January 26, 2020, Kobe and his daughter, along with seven others, were killed when their helicopter slammed into a mountain outside Los Angeles.

The entire world of sports and entertainment grieved the huge loss.

It is worth noting that the first Lakers game since his passing was the second most-watched basketball game ever aired on ESPN, per Watch Mojo.

Cameron Boyce

The Disney Channel star's tragic passing was due to seizure as a result of his ongoing medical condition, epilepsy, the Boyce family spokesperson revealed to ABC News in a statement.

Cameron breathed his last at the tender age of 20 on July 6, 2019.

His castmates still remember him to this day and mourn his tragic loss.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn’s housekeeper, Eunice Murray, found her dead a little after 1AM on August 5, 1962 as a result of an apparent overdose of barbiturates, which included pentobarbital (sleeping pills) and chloral hydrate, per ABC News.

The Some Like It Hot actress died at the age of 36.

Tupac Shakur

Tupac was truly an icon, ruling pop culture in the 90s, known for his social activism and introspective lyrics in hip-hop.

His death is still one of the most talked-about incidents in the entertainment industry, since he was just 25 years old at the time.

The Changes rapper was attending a boxing match in Las Vegas on the night of September 7, 1996 when he was shot four times while riding in the passenger seat of a black BMW, driven by Marion “Suge” Knight.

The sudden shooting occurred when a white Cadillac pulled up next to them at a red light and opened fire, hitting Tupac in the arm, thigh, and chest twice.

He succumbed to his injuries six days later and died on September 13, 1996.

James Dean

One of the Hollywood’s brightest young motion picture stars died in a car accident on September 30, 1995, at the age of 24.

James’s unfortunate accident occurred near Cholame, California, where his Porsche Spyder collided with another vehicle.

He was travelling to a sports car race at the time.

Paul Walker

The star of the Fast and Furious film franchise died after the car he was in crashed at a speed of more than 100mph and instantly burst into flames, according to The Guardian.

Paul died on November 30, 2013 at the age of 40.

Alongside the actor, his friend and financial adviser Roger Rodas also died at the scene.

The coroner’s report said Paul died of the combined effects of traumatic and thermal injuries, while Roger, the driver, died of multiple traumatic injuries.

It is pertinent to mention that no drug or alcohol were detected in either men, per The Guardian.

Michael Jackson

The hugely popular Billie Jean singer died on June 25, 2009, from acute propofol intoxication at the age of 50.

Michael’s personal physician, Conrad Murray, was administering the anesthetic along with other sedatives, which led to cardiac arrest.

Later, the Los Angeles County coroner ruled the death a homicide, as Conrad was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter, per the BBC.

According to CNN, the specific drugs found in Michael’s system that contributed to his death, beyond propofol, included lorazepam, midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine, and others.

The pop sensation is still missed deeply by his fans, and his music left an everlasting impact.

Notably, Michael’s memorial was viewed by 2.5 billion people.

Chadwick Boseman

Chadwick gained widespread popularity for his iconic and titular performance in Marvel’s Black Panther.

The world was left in utter shock and disbelief on August 28, 2020, when they learned about the actor’s death after battling with cancer at the age of 43.

According to Watch Mojo, Chadwick had kept his diagnosis secret from everyone but his family and a few close friends, so the public had no clue about his struggle.

Matthew Perry

The actor, most famous for his iconic role as Chandler Bing in Friends, died at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023, at age 54.

According to NBC News, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office declared an accident from the acute effects of ketamine.

The outlet further mentioned that Dr. Salvador Plasencia pleaded guilty to charges in a series of cases targeting those who supplied the actor with bulk amounts of ketamine.

Brittany Murphy

Just a few weeks before Brittany’s sudden death, she was very ill and experiencing flu-like symptoms, as reported by People.

The sickness wasn't taken seriously and was left untreated, which eventually developed into pneumonia.

The then-deputy medical examiner Dr.Lisa Scheinin described it as “severe” in the 2021 HBO docuseries What Happened, Brittany Murphy?

Brittany breathed her last at the age of 32 on December 20, 2009.

It is worth mentioning that she had worked with several highly acclaimed stars, including Angelina Jolie, Eminem, Ashton Kutcher, Dakota Fanning, Halle Berry, and Matthew McConaughey.

Brandon Lee

Brandon, the son of Bruce Lee, died on the set of the movie The Crow due to a prop gun accident.

The scene involved his character being shot by another character.

According to USA Today, Brandon was shot in the abdomen with a piece of a dummy bullet that had remained in the gun’s barrel from an earlier scene.

The actor suffered extensive internal damage and significant blood loss.

Brandon died at New Hanover Regional Medical Center after hours of surgery at the age of 28 on March 31, 1993.

Amy Winehouse

Amy died from alcohol poisoning at her Camden Square home in London in 2011 at the age of 27.

According to People, an inquest determined that her blood alcohol level was over five times the legal driving limit, leading to her death by "alcohol toxicity".

This was ruled as "death by misadventure" and an "unintended consequence" of her drinking, per the outlet.

The Guardian reported back in 2013 that her brother, Alex Winehouse, told the Observer Magazine that Amy’s long battle with bulimia “left her weaker, and more susceptible.”

He added, “She would have died eventually, the way she was going, but what really killed her was the bulimia.”

Whitney Houston

Lastly, the I Have Nothing songstress was just 48 years old when she died at a Beverly Hills hotel on February 11, 2012 — a day before the Grammy Awards.

According to People, Whitney accidentally drowned in a hotel bathtub.

She left behind her only daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, who also tragically passed away three years later at the age of 22.

Additionally, Whitney Houston’s death was also accelerated by heart disease and cocaine use, per People.