Famous Faces of Suicide
by John Doe
by John Doe
9 min readSuicide, perhaps more than any other cause of death, leaves family and friends dealing with profound grief. As we search for answers, it’s important to remember that we are not alone. Suicide can touch the lives of anyone, anywhere, regardless of race, creed, gender or economic standing. Scientifically and socially, we’ve made progress in understanding and accepting the reality of suicide. It’s important to keep that discussion active. Join us as we remember these notable people who ended their own lives, honor what they accomplished, and acknowledge that success does not exclude despair.
ANTHONY BOURDAIN (1956 - 2018)
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Food writer, chef, and TV star ANTHONY BOURDAIN (1956 - 2018) taught Americans how to embrace and relish cultures around the world.
View Anthony Bourdain's obituary
KATE SPADE (1962 - 2018)
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Fashion designer KATE SPADE (1962 - 2018) was known for her stylish handbags and bubbly personality. "I hope that people remember me not just as a good businesswoman," she told Glamour magazine in 2002, "but as a great friend — and a heck of a lot of fun."
Margot Kidder (1948 - 2018)
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Margot Kidder (1948 - 2018) became the world's Lois Lane as she starred opposite Christopher Reeve in the popular "Superman" film series of the 1970s and '80s.
VERNE TROYER (1969 - 2018)
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Actor VERNE TROYER (1969 - 2018) was best-known as Mini-Me in the "Austin Powers" movies.
Avicii, (1989 - 2018)
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Swedish musician and DJ Avicii, (1989 - 2018), born Tim Bergling, performed sold-out concerts for feverish fans around the world and also had massive success on U.S. pop radio.
CHESTER BENNINGTON (1976 - 2017)
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CHESTER BENNINGTON (1976 - 2017), the lead singer of rock group Linkin Park, reportedly was devastated when his friend Chris Cornell killed himself. Bennington followed just two months later on Cornell's birthday. The Linkin Park song "One More Light," about the death of a friend, was released after Bennington's death.
View CHester Bennington's obituary
STEVIE RYAN (1984 - 2017)
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STEVIE RYAN (1984 - 2017) went from viral YouTube sensation to her own television show on VH1.
CHRIS CORNELL (1964 - 2017)
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As the lead singer and songwriter for Soundgarden, CHRIS CORNELL (1964 - 2017) was one of the architects of the 1990s grunge rock movement.
TOMMY PAGE (1970 - 2017)
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Recording artist turned music executive TOMMY PAGE (1970 - 2017) had a No. 1 hit in 1990 with "I'll Be Your Everything." The former Billboard magazine publisher is survived by his husband and three children.
KEITH EMERSON (1944 - 2016)
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Keyboardist KEITH EMERSON (1944 - 2016) was a founding member of the prog rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
DAVE MIRRA (1974 - 2016)
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BMX racer DAVE MIRRA (1974 - 2016) held the record for most X Games medals until 2013 — 24 total, 14 of them gold — and medaled in every X Games from the games' inception in 1995 up to 2009.
SAM SARPONG (1975 - 2015)
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Model and actor SAM SARPONG (1975 - 2015) was a former host of MTV's "Yo Momma."
ROBIN WILLIAMS (1951 - 2014)
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With his absurd style of rapid-fire comedy, actor and comedian ROBIN WILLIAMS (1951 - 2014) was one of Hollywood’s most sought-after stars.
SAWYER SWEETEN (1995 - 2015)
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Actor SAWYER SWEETEN (1995 - 2015) was best known as one of the twins on popular TV sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond."
View Sawyer Sweeten's obituary
CHARLOTTE DAWSON (1966 - 2014)
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Television presenter CHARLOTTE DAWSON (1966 - 2014) was popular both in Australia and her native New Zealand.
LEE THOMPSON YOUNG (1984 - 2013)
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Actor LEE THOMPSON YOUNG (1984 - 2013) was known for his role as the title character on TV’s The Famous Jett Jackson. He just 29 when he died by suicide.
View Lee Thompson Young's obituary
MINDY MCCREADY (1975 - 2013)
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Country music singer MINDY MCCREADY (1975 - 2013) found early fame with songs such as “Ten Thousand Angels” and “Guys Do It All the Time.” She long struggled with substance-abuse problems and publicly tried — and ultimately failed — to get sober on Celebrity Rehab. McCready died by suicide at 37.
View Mindy McCready's obituary
PAUL BHATTACHARJEE (1960 - 2013)
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PAUL BHATTACHARJEE (1960 - 2013) was an elegant and meticulous British actor whose work ranged from Shakespeare to "EastEnders" to blockbuster films.
View Paul Bhattacharjee's obituary
DICK TRICKLE (1941 - 2013)
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An old-school driver with an odd name, and a guy who earned an almost cult-like following among fans, DICK TRICKLE (1941 - 2013) was remembered for his role as a mentor to many drivers who went on to have far greater success in NASCAR than Trickle ever achieved.
JUNIOR SEAU (1969 - 2012)
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American football player JUNIOR SEAU (1969 - 2012) spent nearly 20 years in the NFL, earning dozens of honors before retiring after the 2009 season.
DON CORNELIUS (1936 - 2012)
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Starting in 1971 and lasting for 35 years, "Soul Train" was an American TV show like no other, showcasing the best of R&B, soul and hip-hop music. At the heart of it all was the show’s creator and longtime host, DON CORNELIUS (1936 - 2012).
TONY SCOTT (1944 - 2012)
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English filmmaker TONY SCOTT (1944 - 2012) was one of Hollywood’s top directors with hits such as "Top Gun," "Days of Thunder," and "Beverly Hills Cop II" to his credit.
GARY SPEED (1969 - 2011)
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GARY SPEED (1969 - 2011) enjoyed a remarkably long career as a professional footballer with Leeds United and Everton and was Wales’s second most capped player before becoming coach and manager of the Welsh national side.
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN (1969 - 2010)
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British fashion designer ALEXANDER MCQUEEN (1969 - 2010) spent a relatively short time in the spotlight but he changed the way clothes were worn and created as well as the way they were presented.
View Alexander McQueen's obituary
PAUL HESTER (1959 - 2005)
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When he was eight, Australian PAUL HESTER (1959 - 2005) wrote in his diary that he wanted to be a famous drummer, but added that he did not want to get into trouble with the police. He got his wish when he joined Crowded House.
IRIS CHANG (1968 - 2004)
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American historian and journalist IRIS CHANG (1968 - 2004) gained an international reputation in 1997, when she was only 29, for writing "The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II."
JONATHAN BRANDIS (1976 - 2003)
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JONATHAN BRANDIS (1976 - 2003) was a 1990s teen idol who got his big break starring in the 1990 miniseries Stephen King’s It and the movie sequel "The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter." But it was "seaQuest DSV" that propelled him to his greatest fame as he played young scientist Lucas Wolenczak.
STUART ADAMSON (1958 - 2001)
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Among those to eulogize Scots guitar hero STUART ADAMSON (1958 - 2001) was U2’s The Edge, who summed up what Adamson’s music conveyed and why so many fans were drawn to him. “He had a heart as big as a mountain.”
MICHAEL HUTCHENCE (1960 - 1997)
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As the lead singer and lyricist for INXS, Australian MICHAEL HUTCHENCE (1960 - 1997) helped drive the sound of 1980s music.
MARGAUX HEMINGWAY (1954 - 1996)
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American actress and model MARGAUX HEMINGWAY (1954 - 1996) seemed to have it all before she took her own life, like her famous grandfather before her.
MAY AYIM (1960 - 1996)
May Ayim
German poet, educator, author, and activist MAY AYIM (1960 - 1996) was known for her pioneering work in the field of Afro-German history.
KURT COBAIN (1967 - 1994)
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In the early 1990s American musician KURT COBAIN (1967 - 1994) became the reluctant voice of a disaffected generation as he brought grunge to the masses.
FREDDIE PRINZE (1954 - 1977)
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American comedian and actor FREDDIE PRINZE (1954 - 1977) didn't stay long on this earth, but while he was here, he certainly made us laugh.
PHIL OCHS (1940 - 1976)
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PHIL OCHS (1940 - 1976) was a prolific singer-songwriter and an icon within the 1960s counterculture movement. But mental illness and drug addiction overcame Ochs, and he killed himself at 35.
PETE HAM (1947 - 1975)
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There was a reason PETE HAM (1947 - 1975) and Badfinger never became the next Beatles, as many (including the Beatles themselves) thought they were poised to be. But it certainly wasn’t lack of musical talent.
YUKIO MISHIMA (1925 - 1970)
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Confessions of a Mask was the semi-autobiographical story of Kochan, a closeted homosexual struggling to find a place in a militaristic Japanese society. The book was an instant sensation and made YUKIO MISHIMA (1925 - 1970) a household name at the age of 24.
MARILYN MONROE (1926 - 1962)
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