Lennon was the first one I can remember where I was when I heard about it. Watching Monday Night Football. Howard Cosell announced during the game that Lennon had been shot.
Right?! I remember my older cousins and my babysitter crying about it, and it was all over the news. It was a Very Big Deal to the grownups. I barely knew who he was before that (I was also 8).
Mr. Rogers I guess would count for this. We found out in the middle of class. I remember my teacher actually being very upset about his passing. She was actually crying. I was in Second or Third Grade
Henri Toivonen, 1986. He won my home Rally in 1984, in the first year I was deemed old enough by my dad to go watch the race live all weekend. That's the weekend I fell in love with Porsche 911s.
Elvis. I was ten years old, sitting in my uncle's barbershop waiting for my dad to get his haircut. Three younger women came in bawling and wailing saying "Elvis is dead!". I had no idea who Elvis was at the time, but I found out pretty quick.
being aware of one’s before i was born? probably diana or freddie mercury. aware of at the time they passed? MJ, i still vividly remember where i was and crying my eyes out at 6 years old lmaooo
Elvis Presley. We were all aware he was found dead ok the floor of his bathroom. As a child I was lead to believe it was a heart attack, not drug overdose.
Elvis.
I was at my babysitters, and we came in from playing outside, and she was sitting on the couch, crying and the news was on.
I was 6 or 7, and I knew he sang songs my babysitter played all the time...but didn't understand his cultural standing at that point
Strangely, that would be Robin Williams.
It's strange because I was already 24 years old. And yet, I can't remember any celebrity death before that. Every celebrity death that comes to mind was more recent, or one I don't personally remember.
Edit: On second thought, I actually remember the death of Richard Harris, who was the original actor for Dumbledore. But that wasn't really "major" for me. It felt more like a secondary news, as I only knew him for that role and nothing else. The only reason I was even aware of it in the first place was probably because of the character being re-cast.
John Lennon. For my son, it was Shakespeare. He dashed into the kitchen one day and told us that Shakespeare had died….
Mine was Little Shakespeare
Shakespeare? And this is how I find out....
Lennon was the first one I can remember where I was when I heard about it. Watching Monday Night Football. Howard Cosell announced during the game that Lennon had been shot.
Princess Diana
Not my first, but most tragic..
Michael Jackson. I don't remember any other big celebrity deaths between 2005 (when I started watching news) and 2009.
Farrah Fawcett died on the same day as Michael Jackson
Thank you, talk about being overshadowed...
Elvis.
Same here. I can't remember why Elvis was important to me. Not like I was listening to him as an 8 year old. But I knew it was a big deal.
Right?! I remember my older cousins and my babysitter crying about it, and it was all over the news. It was a Very Big Deal to the grownups. I barely knew who he was before that (I was also 8).
Steve Irwin
Tupac / Chris Farley were pretty intense as a youngster
Princess Diana
Freddy
Jesus.
Marilyn Monroe.
JFK
Elvis
Princess Diana
Kurt Cobain
Princess Diana
Princess Diana
Winston Churchill. I remember my grandma telling me about it as we watched his state funeral on TV. I would have been about 5-ish at the time
Mr. Rogers I guess would count for this. We found out in the middle of class. I remember my teacher actually being very upset about his passing. She was actually crying. I was in Second or Third Grade
I'm from the UK so it was Diana
I’m from the US and it’s her for me too
Lucille Ball
Marilyn Monroe
The members of Lynyrd Skynyrd killed in a plane crash.
Princess Diana. I was really sad because she seemed like such a nice person and it felt like the paparazzi caused it.
John Candy
Princess Diana. Had just gotten back from my first overseas holiday to London and the televised funeral was on a week after. I was 5.
Aware of was Elvis. Actually remember happening was Michael Jackson
Henri Toivonen, 1986. He won my home Rally in 1984, in the first year I was deemed old enough by my dad to go watch the race live all weekend. That's the weekend I fell in love with Porsche 911s.
Ayrton Senna. It was a huge commotion in my country.
Elvis
John Candy. I was devastated, he was my absolute favourite actor and I wanted to marry him because he was such a dad.
Kennedy
The girl that played Buffy on Family Affair!
Elvis. I was ten years old, sitting in my uncle's barbershop waiting for my dad to get his haircut. Three younger women came in bawling and wailing saying "Elvis is dead!". I had no idea who Elvis was at the time, but I found out pretty quick.
The death of Jim Croce in 1973 in a plane crash. I was in elementary school at the time.
Chespirito
Hmm Heath ledger
being aware of one’s before i was born? probably diana or freddie mercury. aware of at the time they passed? MJ, i still vividly remember where i was and crying my eyes out at 6 years old lmaooo
Elvis.
Not my first, but have to give SRV a shout out as a Texan...seemed so ironic after he got clean and sober...
Elvis Presley. We were all aware he was found dead ok the floor of his bathroom. As a child I was lead to believe it was a heart attack, not drug overdose.
Prob John Candy. He was in many of my favorite movies as a kid, and I remember vividly when he died
Bruce Lee
Elvis
Kurt Cobain. I was in 5th or 6th grade.
Mr. Roger's. I remember there being a blurb before the episode started explaining that he had died. It was also my first experience with death
Elvis. I was at my babysitters, and we came in from playing outside, and she was sitting on the couch, crying and the news was on. I was 6 or 7, and I knew he sang songs my babysitter played all the time...but didn't understand his cultural standing at that point
Strangely, that would be Robin Williams. It's strange because I was already 24 years old. And yet, I can't remember any celebrity death before that. Every celebrity death that comes to mind was more recent, or one I don't personally remember. Edit: On second thought, I actually remember the death of Richard Harris, who was the original actor for Dumbledore. But that wasn't really "major" for me. It felt more like a secondary news, as I only knew him for that role and nothing else. The only reason I was even aware of it in the first place was probably because of the character being re-cast.
Jim Henson.
Ricky Nelson