London 2012: Closing Time

We're watching highlights of Olympic opening and closing ceremonies past, tipping our hats once more to the Olympians who won our hearts years ago.

Dorian Murray (2007 - 2016)

Dorian Murray, an 8-year-old terminal cancer patient whose last wish of becoming famous in China came true, has died. Dorian, who lived in Rhode Island, died Tuesday of stage 4 cancer, according to a post on his official Facebook page, "Praying for Dorian." "It is with a very heavy heart that I share this news. Dorian J. Murray (‪#‎dstrong‬) has gained his beautiful angel wings tonight and is now pain free," reads the Facebook post. "He was surrounded by people who love him, and his transition to heaven was very peaceful. He was embraced by both mom and dad."

Yeh-Yeh's Red Roast Pork Shoulder

In Legacy.com's series, celebrity chefs and food bloggers share how recipes preserve our life stories and connect us to those we've lost.

Peng Chang-kuei (1918–2016), General Tso’s Chicken creator

Peng Chang-kuei, the Chinese chef credited with creating General Tso’s Chicken, has died in Taiwan, according to multiple news sources. He was 98.

China Machado (1928–2016), pioneering supermodel

China Machado, the Shanghai-born supermodel who broke barriers in the fashion industry, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016, at a hospital in Brookhaven, New York, according to multiple news sources. She was 87.

Tyrus Wong (1910 - 2016), Bambi animator

Tyrus Wong, the artist whose drawings provided the visual inspiration for the Disney classic “Bambi,” died Friday, Dec. 30, 2016. He was 106.

Cheick Tioté (1986–2017), former midfielder for Newcastle United

The former midfielder for Newcastle United in the English Premier League died after he collapsed while training.

Liu Xiaobo (1955 - 2017), Nobel Peace Prize laureate

Nobel laureate was China’s most prominent political prisoner…

Larry Kwong (1923 – 2018), first Asian player to appear in an NHL game

Played a shift with the New York Rangers in 1948…

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 Crash Victims (2019)

157 people were killed Sunday morning when an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed just six minutes after takeoff. There were no survivors.

I.M. Pei (1917–2019), world-renowned architect

His designs include the glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris.

Godfrey Gao (1984–2019), “The Mortal Instruments” actor

Godfrey Gao was a Taiwanese-Canadian actor best known for playing Magnus Bane in the 2013 film “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.” Gao largely worked in Taiwanese and Chinese movies and television shows, with film roles including “Wedding Bible,” “Love Is a Broadway Hit,” and his most recent, 2019’s “Shanghai Fortress.” On TV, he was well-known in Asia for shows including “Bull Fighting” and “Remembering Lichuan.” He was filming the Chinese game show “Chase Me” at the time of his death. Also a model, Gao became the first Asian model for Louis Vuitton in 2011.

Cecilia Chiang (1920–2020), restaurateur who brought authentic Chinese cuisine to the U.S.

Cecilia Chiang was a restaurateur whose San Francisco restaurant, the Mandarin, introduced a more authentic style of Chinese food to U.S. diners.

Yuan Longping (1930–2021), created hybrid rice to ease famine

Yuan Longping was a Chinese plant scientist who created high-yield hybrid rice that helped alleviate famine in Asia and Africa.

Ei-ichi Negishi (1935–2021), top scientist revolutionized drug-making, made OLED TVs possible

Dr. Ei-ichi Negishi was a scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work, which paved the way for new medicines and OLED televisions.

Kenneth Tsang (1935–2022), “Die Another Day,” “Rush Hour 2” actor

Kenneth Tsang was a Hong Kong actor who starred in many Hong Kong martial arts movies as well appearing in Hollywood films.

Sylvia Wu (1915–2022), restaurateur to Hollywood stars

Sylvia Wu was the owner of the legendary restaurant Madame Wu’s Garden in Santa Monica, California, a popular destination for Hollywood stars.

Jiang Zemin (1926–2022), former president of China

Jiang Zemin was president of China from 1993 to 2003 and guided the country through economic reforms.

Coco Lee (1975–2023), internationally famous singer and actress

Coco Lee was a singer, songwriter, and actress who released 18 albums and in 2001 became the first Chinese American to perform at the Oscars.

Ellsworth Johnson (1923-2023), 100-year-old WWII special-ops veteran

Ellsworth Johnson was a WWII veteran and the last known surviving member of a secret U.S. military unit that operated in enemy-occupied territory in France and China.

Li Keqiang (1955–2023), former premier of China

Li Keqiang was a former premier of China and the country’s top economic official for a decade, prior to his retirement in 2023 as the second ranking leader of the country.

Seiji Ozawa (1935–2024), norm-breaking conductor 

Seiji Ozawa was an offbeat, norm-breaking Japanese conductor who led the Boston Symphony Orchestra longer than any other music director.

Cheng Pei-Pei (1946–2024), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star

Cheng Pei-Pei was a Chinese-born actress and martial artist best known for her performances in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Come Drink with Me.” 

Tsung-Dao Lee (1926–2024), Nobel-winning physicist

Tsung-Dao Lee was a Chinese-born physicist who won the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics for his discoveries on the nature of subatomic particles.