Rest in Peace: Celebrities That We Have Lost in January 2021
- The first month of a hopeful 2021 saw the world lose some of its great personalities who will definitely be missed
- Renowned stars like Cecily Tyson and Larry King were some of the stars to say goodbye
- Kenya also lost an up and coming actor who we figured should get a mention too
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The world has already lost some very prominent people, in just one month, who meant a lot to not only their family and friends but also fans all over the world.
As we continue to face a crisis with the global pandemic, Briefly.co.za is honouring some of the celebs the world has lost in January 2021.
1. Cecily Tyson
Award-winning actress Cecily Tyson, a revered star known for her roles on stage and screenplays died on Thursday, January 28, at the age of 96.
The legendary actress's demise came barely a week after releasing her first memoir Just As I am which highlighted her lengthy acting career.
Her death shook many world notable personalities such as Obama, Tyler Perry, Rihanna, Mariah Carey among others who mourned the legend with touching posts on Twitter.
Source: Getty Images
2. MF Doom
The iconic masked hip hop legend died aged 49 and his death was confirmed by his wife Jasmine who took to the late's Instagram account to break the news.
Doctor Doom was born in London in 1971 and moved to New York with his family at a young age.
The deceased was best known for his intricate rhymes and signature mask inspired by the Marvel comic book supervillain Doctor Doom.
3. Larry King
Legendary American television host and Emmy award winner Larry King was arguably the biggest loss in the month after passing at the age of 87.
He had earlier been hospitalised after testing positive for the deadly COVID-19 but his wife noted what actually killed the star was sepsis.
King gained fame after being in the media for 63 years across radio, television and digital platforms.
4. Tanya Roberts
Veteran actress Tanya Roberts passed away at the age of 65.
The famous actress featured in movies such as James Bond, Charlie's Angels and Sheena reportedly collapsed at her home on Christmas Eve.
Tanya was taken to hospital, put on a ventilator but she never recovered. She died on Sunday, January 3.
There was a bit of confusion with Tanya's demise as reports from her publicist later indicated that she was still alive and her hubby, who had announced her death, was wrong.
5. John Reily
The beloved thespian, known for his roles in General Hospital and Dallas, breathed his last at 84 years old.
John’s daughter confirmed his death on Sunday, January 10, through a brief and heartbreaking Instagram post.
Caitlin Reilly described her dad as the brightest light in the world and the best human she had the privilege of knowing.
6. Randy Parton
Brother to renowned star Dolly Parton, 67-year-old Randy Parton, was a renowned singer and songwriter who had songs topping the charts in Alabama.
Dolly released a statement on behalf of her family, on January 21, celebrating her brother while also sharing the favorite moments she spent with him.
7. Kenneth Magawe
Closer home, January saw the loss of an actor that Briefly.co.za would like to shine a light on.
The Kenyan film industry was recently in mourning after the death of young and upcoming actor Kenneth Magawe.
The actor was reported to have passed away on the night of Saturday, January 30, after he was killed by a group of thugs as he headed back home.
According to a source close to the deceased, who spoke to Briefly.co.za, Magawe was on his way home from an upcoming film set when he was allegedly approached and killed by thugs.
The source added that Magawe, a resident of Kasarani area, was seemingly able to recognise one of the thieves moments before they killed him.
8. Mighty Salim
Another Kenyan celeb that was lost in January is popular Kikuyu musician Timothy Njuguna, known by his stage name Mighty Salim.
The renowned Mugithi singer passed away a day after hosting his brother Salim Junior's fifth memorial.
The legendary singer breathed his last on the evening of Sunday, January 24.
The singer was diagnosed with diabetes in mid-2003. The deceased was later in 2018, discovered with kidney failure and commenced dialysis.
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Source: Briefly News
Stefan Mack (Editor) Stefan Mack is an English and history teacher who has broadened his horizons with journalism. He enjoys experiencing the human condition through the world's media. Stefan keeps Briefly News' readers entertained during the weekend. He graduated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2010 with a Bachelor of Education (BEd), majoring in History and English. Stefan has been writing for Briefly News for a number of years and has covered mainstream to human interest articles.
Kelly Lippke (Senior Editor) Kelly Lippke is a copy editor/proofreader who started her career at the Northern-Natal Courier with a BA in Communication Science/Psychology (Unisa, 2007). Kelly has worked for several Caxton publications, including the Highway Mail and Northglen News. Kelly’s unique editing perspective stems from an additional major in Linguistics. Kelly joined Briefly News in 2018 and she has 14 years of experience. Kelly has also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. You can reach her at kelly.lippke@briefly.co.za.
