The Celebrities We Lost In 2021: In Memoriam

We’re only a quarter of the way through the year, but some truly beloved, noteworthy public figures have already left us here in 2021.

All of these artists, athletes, politicians, and pop culture icons may be gone from this world. But they will never be forgotten. Ever.

For their fans and loved ones alike, true legends never die. Their legacies live on; their stars will never fade; and their work will be cherished for generations to come, as those whose lives they touched pass the love and admiration on to future generations. Join us as we pay tribute to the stars we’ve lost in 2021.

May they rest in eternal peace, and/or power.

1. DMX

DMX passed away on April 9 from an accidental drug overdose that he suffered several days prior that left him in a vegetative state. The iconic rapper, who rose to fame with his gritty style in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and remains an influence on the genre to this day, was just 50 years old.

2. Dustin Diamond

This one hits particularly hard for a generation of people who grew up watching him on Saturday morning television. Dustin Diamond, the former Saved by the Bell star, died of lung cancer at age 44 on February 1.

His death comes just a couple of weeks after his diagnosis was made public, making the news all the more surprising and saddening. Diamond’s death also came following a period of estrangement from his former co-stars; Dustin and his character Samuel “Screech” Powers were not included in the recent revival of Saved By the Bell.

3. Cicely Tyson

What an actress and pioneer. Legendary actress Cicely Tyson, a Tony and Emmy winner who was perhaps best known for her Oscar-nominated role as a sharecropper’s wife in the 1972 film “Sounder,” died on January 28. She was 96 years old. There will never be another like her.

4. Christoper Plummer

On February 4, 2021, Christopher Plummer passed away at the age of 91. The legendary Canadian actor racked up more than 200 (!) theater, film and television credits over the course of his storied career, winning Tony, Emmy and Academy Awards along the way.

A household name ever since he co-starred in the Sound of Music with Julie Andrews more than half a century ago, Plummer became known to another generation of fans with recent standout roles in works such as All the Money in the World and Knives Out.

5. Walter Mandale

Walter Mondale, a Minnesota minister’s son who became a United States Senator and Vice Oresident of the United States under Jimmy Carter from 1976-1980, and went on to be the Democratic nominee for President four years later before losing the 1984 election to Ronald Reagan, passed away in April 2021. He was 93 years old.

6. Prince Phillip

Prince Philip, the lifelong companion of Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and the longest-serving consort of any British monarch, passed away on Friday, April 9. He was 99 years old.

A statement posted on the official Buckingham Palace website confirmed the news, saying: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”

Having led a truly remarkable life for a century, Philip is survived by his wife, four children, eight grandchildren and ten grandchildren.