The Ironies of Life and Death
Life and Death. They coexist much like night and day. Not to sound morbid or depressing, but one cannot exist without the other. We are born into this world and we pass on. Every second a person is born is the very same second a person is living their life or is actually dying. When a baby is born, tears of joy fill the eyes of the parents and family surrounding the child. When a person dies, those tears of joys turn into tears of sadness as family and friends of the individual realize that that person will no longer be physically here. In regards to an individual's soul, what happens after ones passing is of much religious and historical debate. However, the purpose of this article is to showcase the ironies and uncanny relationships of certain people's life and their actual death. This is not meant to be depressing or conjure up sadness.
Throughout History, certain people have eerily predicted their deaths. In 1909, author Mark Twain predicted that the next time Halley's comet passed close to earth he would "go out" with it. Halley's comet visits us once every 76 years and is only visible form earth for a couple of months at a time. The year after Twain made this prediction, Halley's comet was due to make its appearance and the next day Twain passed away. Basketball legend "Pistol" Pete Maravich gave a statement during the height of his athletic career saying "I don't want to play for the NBA for 10 years and then die of a heart attack at age 40". Maravich did indeed play for the NBA for 10 years. Sure enough at age 40, he collapsed and died after playing a pickup game of basketball.
Certain people have predicted their deaths in famous speeches. Civil rights activist Martin Luther King gave his final speech a day before being assassinated. During the speech, King stated "Like anybody I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now." King also said "I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as people, will get to the promised land!" As stated, the next day Martin Luther King was assassinated. Although not as historically significant as King to most people, I wanted to present the final speech of Wrestling legend The Ultimate Warrior's final public speech before he passed. Making his final appearance on WWE television in 2014, Warrior stated "Every man's heart one day beats its final beat, his lungs breathe their final death. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others, and makes them bleed deeper, than something larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by storytellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him and make the running the man did live forever." The next day, Warrior passed away.
Certain people have predicted their demise through musical lyrics. In the famous song "Freebird", Lynynrd Skynyrd front man stated "If I leave here tomorrow, Would you Still Remember Me". In 1977, Van Zant would die in a plane crash at age 29. Strangely, reports have said that Van Zant had predicted to some friends and family that he would not live to see age 30. Duane Allman and Berry Oakley of the Allman Brothers Band both died in motorcycle accidents, coincidentally on the same road in Georgia. Country and rock legend Johnny Cash and his wife June Carter Cash died months apart in 2003. A video was released in 2003 featuring Cash and his wife and that both visually and lyrically predict both artist's deaths were approaching. The video shows Johnny and June together in a darkened room seemingly reminiscing on their lives and careers. One of the lyrics in the song is "Every one I know goes away in the end". Television and rock star Ricky Nelson once stated in an interview that he did not see himself growing old. Nelson died in a plane crash in the 1980's at a young age. The late Freddie Mercury of Queen stated in Bohemian Rhapsody "I don't want to die, Sometimes I wish I'd never been born at all!!" " Freddie Mercury's mother passed away this year as would the mother of the Bee Gees.
Movies have showcased characters that have ironically paralleled certain aspects of the actors playing them. Bruce Lee's son, Brandon Lee, starred in the 1994 film The Crow. In the film, he plays a character that died and came back as a spirit. Lee was killed while performing a stunt for the film. On a side, Michael Massee, the man who caused the accident that took Lee's life, passed away this year. Actor Heath Ledger portrayed the 'The Joker' in 2008's The Dark Knight. Reports have said that Ledger got into the character so deeply that many of his personal characteristics began to somewhat mirror the character. After filming, Ledger died of a drug overdose. Halloween became a famous and, surprisingly, well-praised horror film after its release in 1978. Donald Pleasance would reprise his role as Sam Loomis in several sequels. His last appearance was in 1995's Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. During the film, there's one instance where the character of Sam Loomis is at his typewriter and a caller on a radio program questions the man whereabouts concluding that he had died. Loomis jokingly responds, "Not dead just very much retired." Towards the end of the film the character of Sam Loomis stays at the hospital where killer Michael Myers has presumably just been killed. He tells his friends, whom are urging him to go with him, that he has unfinished business to tend to. This was Donald Pleasance's last film. Actors Marilyn Burns and Gunnar Hansen made history in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Both would make cameos in a sequel in 2013 which would be one of the last films for both. Burns died in 2014 at age 65 while Hansen died in 2015 at age 68. Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe's last appearance in a film was 1961's The Misfits. I have a soft spot for the Gremlin's movies. Gizmo's original owner, Mr. Wing, was portrayed by actor Keye Luke. In Gremlins 2, Mr. Wing dies. In real life, Keye Luke would pass away just months after the release of this film.
The end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 has seen a number of deaths of celebrities. I'm piggybacking on one of the articles I wrote before about musicians. Many have been around the same age and in some cases the very same age. In musical history, there was a correlation of musicians who died at age 27: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones. Recently, certain ones have died days before or after their own birthdays. Some have been professionally connected somehow. David Bowie died just two days after turning 69. I saw the irony between his work and my life as I was influenced by one his quotes just hours before learning of his death (Check my article on that one). Longtime David Bowie drummer Dennis Davis would pass away just three months after he would. Motorhead front man Lemmy Kilmister died just four days after turning 70. Lemmy's former band mate, Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor, died a little over a month before he did. David Bowie died the day of Lemmy's funeral. Lennie Baker of group Sha Na Na died several months after fellow member Dennis Greene passed. Several months before Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver front man Scott Weiland died on a tour bus, the lead singer of the band Filter stated that Weiland would end up "a rock star legend that died in a hotel room with a needle sticking out of his arm" if he continued on the path he was on. Weiland died of a drug overdose at age 48. Weiland revealed in his final interview that David Bowie was one of his main influences. Negativland's Richard Lyons died on his 57th birthday. Country Music Icon Merle Haggard died on his 79th Birthday. According to reports, Merle Haggard predicted he would die a year before on his following birthday. Pop Music Icon Prince died just two months after former protégé and Backup vocalist Vanity passed away. Both Prince and Vanity were 57 years old. Both Keith Emerson and Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake and Palmer passed away this year. Frank Sinatra Jr. and 'Ricci Martin', both sons of the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin), passed away this year. Actress Patty Duke passed away this year as did William Schallert, whom played the father on the Patty Duke show. Pro Wrestlers Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney had been Tag Team Partners. Both passed away this year. Axl Rotten's final Tweet Read "The way I do things may not be the way you do things but you will find out there is only 1 way. My away!"
Other famous musicians and celebrities whom passed this year include: Gene Wilder, Sharon Jones, Leonard Cohen, Alexis Arquette, Phife Dawg, Shawnty Lo, John Berry, Original Member of the Beasty Boys, Eddie Harsch (Former Black Crowes keyboardist), James Woolley (former Nine INch Nails keyboardist), Nick Menza (Former Megadeth Drummer), Matt Roberts (original 3 Doors Down guitarist), Abe Vigoda, Nancy Reagan, Janet Reno, Justice SCallia, Fidel Castro as well as many others.
The similarities between the specific age ranges of passing musicians and celebrities began to seen by some as coincidental and others as a curse. Natalie Cole died at age 65. Celine Dion's husband died at age 73, just two days before his 74th birthday. In addition, Celine's own brother would die days later. Like David Bowie, 'Harry Potter' and 'Die Hard' Alan Rickman actor died at age 69. Founding members of the band Jefferson Airplane, Signe Tole Anderson and Paul Kantner, both died the same day and both at the same age of 74. Maurice White, founder of Earth, Wind, and Fire, passed away at 74, as would Dan Hicks as well. Leon Russell passed away at age 74.
The year 2015 saw a number of deaths that were related to two of my favorite guilty pleasures: Pro-Wrestling and Horror Movies and the year 20016 continued it. It seemed very odd how so many legends in both aspects of pop culture would pass away month after month. In fact I was just talking about wrestling legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper days before he passed in the summer of 2015. It was eerie. Chyna, Mr. Fuji, Blackjack Mulligan and several other wrestling greats died this year. Horror icons Wes Craven, Sir Christopher Lee, Roddy Piper, Gunnar Hansen, Betsey Palmer and Irwin Keyes passed away in 2015. At the beginning of 2016, Angus 'Tall Man' Scrimm passed.
I don't like to look at these deaths as a curse, but only the blessings of how my God operates. The Lord chooses his ways. Sometimes he waits, sometimes he acts. Sometimes he takes those that are alike and sometimes he doesn't. There are certain times that God works in ways that are ironic considering a person'ls life and birth. It's like the saying "The Lord works in mysterious ways". Sometimes we understand it and sometimes we dont.
I think its appropriate as human beings that we celebrate both life and death. People that are connected with me on social media notice that I often commemorate people's birthdays and their passing, even if I personally know them or not. The birth of an individual is much more of a joyous occasion. However, when one passes its always important to celebrate the lives these people lived and their contributions to society. To quote the movie Braveheart, "Every man dies, not every man truly lives".
Let us celebrate life in both birth and death. Let us not fear either. President Teddy Roosevelt once said,
“Only those are fit to live who do not fear to die; and none are fit to die who have shrunk from the joy of life and the duty of life. Both life and death are parts of the same Great Adventure.
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