PETALING JAYA: Most of us thought that 2020 was supposed to be the year of flying cars and other fantastic technology, but let’s be honest, many of these predictions missed the mark.
Humanity was, instead, caught up with dealing with a deadly virus that placed the whole world on lockdown. To make matters worse, the world had to say goodbye to a number of beloved icons and notable celebrities.
Here’s a list comprising Hollywood’s favourite celebrities and notable Malaysian figures who have passed on this year.
1. Kobe Bryant
American basketball player and legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on January 26. He was 41.
Bryant was one of nine victims in the crash. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also killed.
2. Kenny Rogers
American singer, songwriter, musician Kenneth Ray Rogers played a major role in expanding the audience for country music in the 1970s and 1980s. On top of that, he was responsible for introducing the famous Kenny Rogers Roasters franchise to the world.
He passed away at the age of 81 peacefully at home from natural causes on March 20.
3. Irrfan Khan
Indian cinema icon Irrfan Khan was known for his international roles in hit films such as ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘Life of Pi’ and ‘Jurassic World’. He had been battling illness since March 2018, when he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour.
He died at the age of 53 on Apr 29 after being hospitalised for a colon infection.
4. Jerry Stiller
Renowned comedian Ben Stiller’s father, Jerry Stiller passed away on May 11 at the age of 92. According to his son, the actor and comedian passed away from natural causes.
5. Fred Willard
Fred Willard, the prolific actor and comedian known for his appearances on ‘Modern Family’ and ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ passed away on May 15 at the age of 86 from a cardiac arrest.
According to his death certificate, he suffered from several underlying health conditions, including myelodysplastic syndrome and coronary artery disease.
6. Naya Rivera
Thirty-three-year-old actress Naya Rivera was found dead after drowning in a California lake on Jul 8. She was thought to have died while trying to rescue her son.
She was best known for her groundbreaking role as Santana Lopez on the hit Fox musical series ‘Glee’.
7. Kelly Preston
Wife of actor John Travolta, actress Kelly Preston passed away on Jul 12 at the age of 57 following a two-year battle with breast cancer.
She was best known for her role as the hardhearted fiancée of Tom Cruise’s character in the 1996 film ‘Jerry Maguire’.
8. Chadwick Boseman
The star of ‘Black Panther’ left the world in shock, horror and grief when he passed away on Aug 28 after having been diagnosed with colon cancer four years earlier.
He passed away at the young age of 43.
9. Eddie Van Halen
Guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen passed away on Oct 6 at the age of 65 after a long battle with throat cancer.
Van Halen had been battling cancer for over a decade, and it had reportedly spread to his brain.
10. Sean Connery
The 90-year-old Scottish-born actor who rocketed to fame as James Bond died on Oct 31 at his home in the Bahamas.
According to his death certificate, Sean Connery died in his sleep from heart failure due to pneumonia and old age.
11. Alex Trebek
George Alexander Trebek was the host of the game show ‘Jeopardy!’ for 37 seasons from its revival in 1984 until his death in 2020.
He died on Nov 8 following his battle with advanced pancreatic cancer.
12. Diego Armando Maradona
Argentina’s soccer superstar Diego Maradona, widely considered one of the sport’s all-time greatest players, died on Nov 25 at the age of 60 after a fatal heart attack.
He will forever be remembered for his ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico City, during which he pushed the soccer ball into the net.
13. Namat Abdullah
Former national defender Datuk Namat Abdullah passed away at the age of 74, after a long battle with intestinal cancer.
The former 1972 Olympics player passed away at his son-in-law’s residence in Taiping on Dec 17.
14. Rahah Mohamed Noah
Rahah Mohamed Noah, the wife of Malaysia’s second prime minister Abdul Razak and mother of sixth prime minister Najib Razak, died at the age of 87 on Dec 18.
It is understood that Rahah, who had also been conferred the title of Tun, had been ill for some time.
15. Ungku Aziz
Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid was arguably one of the most famous scholars in Malaysia and an intellectual giant. Apart from being the only Malaysian to receive a royal professorship, he also helped establish the Pilgrims’ Fund and Management Board (Tabung Haji) in 1969.
He passed away on Dec 15 at the age of 98.