When a celebrity dies, there is a public outpouring of mourning. Sometimes it feels strange to mourn someone we have never met or even come close to meeting, but we feel their loss because they contributed something to our lives that made us feel connected to them. Imagine what it must be like when someone famous loses a significant other. Not only are they faced with their own grief, but they also have to go through a sort of public mourning process whether they want to or not because all eyes are on them.
More from MamásLatinas: Vanessa & Kobe Bryant's love story
The recent death of Kobe Bryant has us thinking about what his wife Vanessa must be going through, having lost both her husband of many years and her 13-year-old daughter in such a sudden and unexpected way. We can't begin to fathom what it must be like for her to be grieving two of her dearest while still having to mother her three living children–and having so much media attention put on her family.
Vanessa Bryant is one of many celebrities who have lost a significant other. You'll be touched by how the following celebrities had to deal with losing someone they loved romantically. We all will have to contend with losing a loved one to death at some point in our lives. But most of us will not have to go through the grieving process with everyone watching.
Vanessa Bryant lost Kobe Bryant after 19 years of marriage.
On January 26, Vanessa Bryant lost both her NBA superstar husband, Kobe Bryant, and their daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash that killed nine people. A few days later, she posted this gorgeous picture of her entire family taken before the tragedy and wrote:
"My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time. Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them. We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri."
Chris Pérez lost Selena Quintanilla when she was only 23 years old.
To the world and her fans, she is the Queen of Tejano music. Chris Pérez knew her as his beloved wife. They dated for a few months before eloping and were married just a bit over three years when Selena was murdered.
Michelle Williams lost Heath Ledger when their daughter was only 2 years old.
The couple met on the set of Brokeback Mountain and dated for about three years. In 2005, they welcomed their daughter, Matilda, into the world. Michelle and Heath had broken up a few months before he died in 2008 from cardiac arrest, reportedly caused by an accidental prescription drug overdose, at only 28 years old.
Céline Dion lost René Angélil, who was both her manager and husband.
Céline Dion met the man who would become her manager and husband when she was 12 years old. They married years later when she was an adult. For many years, René battled cancer before dying of a heart attack in 2016.
Jacqueline Kennedy lost John F. Kennedy after 10 years of marriage.
On November 22, 1963, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated as he was traveling in a motorcade with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy by his side in Dallas, Texas. The country mourned the death of a president, but Jacqueline lost her husband and the father of her children that day.
Lea Michele lost Cory Monteith while they were dating.
The actors met on the set of Glee in 2008. They officially started dating in 2012. When Cory admitted himself into rehab in April 2013, Lea was proud of him and stood by his side. Then, on July 13, 2013, Cory was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room, caused by a combination of alcohol and drugs in his system. "There was no greater man than Cory," Lea said in an interview, "so for the time we spent together I consider myself very lucky."
Courtney Love lost Kurt Cobain when their daughter was only 1 year old.
Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain were pretty much royalty in the alternative music scene of the 1990s. They married in February of 1992 and had their daughter, Frances Bean, in August of the same year. Fans were devastated by the news that Kurt committed suicide on April 5, 1994. We can't even begin to imagine what it was like for Courtney to have lost her husband when their child was only a baby.
Nigella Lawson lost John Diamond after 9 years of marriage.
Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson married journalist John Diamond in 1992. They had two children together. Five years into their marriage, John was diagnosed with throat cancer, and he died in 2001 from the disease.
Pierce Brosnan lost Cassandra Harris after 11 years of marriage.
Pierce Brosnan is now happily married to Keely Shaye Smith, but he lost his first wife to ovarian cancer in 1991. It took him 10 years to remarry after her death.
Charo lost husband Kjell Rasten after more than 40 years of marriage.
The Spanish entertainer was devastated when her husband committed suicide on February 18, 2019. “Yesterday, Kjell, my husband of forty years and the love of my life killed himself,” she said in a statement. “There are no words to describe what we are feeling now. He was an amazing man, a great husband and the best father I could imagine to our son. He dedicated his life to loving and supporting his family.”
Coretta Scott King lost Martin Luther King Jr. after almost 15 years of marriage.
They met when they were both going to different schools in Boston, Massachusetts, and 16 months later they married on June 18, 1953. The civil rights activists had four children before Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Paul McCartney lost Linda McCartney after 30 years of marriage.
Paul and Linda were married on March 12, 1969, and she died as a result of her battle with breast cancer in April 17, 1998. The couple had four children together. Years later, Paul said of her death, "I think I cried for about a year on and off."
Esteban Loaiza lost Jenni Rivera two years into their marriage.
The ex-baseball player and Jenni Rivera had been married for only two years when she died in a plane accident on December 9, 2012. They had filed for divorce a few months before her death, but the divorce was never finalized.
Florinda Meza lost Roberto Gómez Bolaños after a lifetime of collaboration.
Florinda and the Mexican actor and creator also known as Chespirito were together for more than 30 years and married for 10 of those years. They started working together when Florinda was only 20 years old and he was still married to his first wife, but Florinda has always said that she is not a husband stealer and that the problems in his first marriage had nothing to do with her.
Liam Neeson lost Natasha Richardson after almost 16 years of marriage.
The actors were married in 1994. Natasha died on March 18, 2009, after sustaining head injuries during a skiing accident. "Liam Neeson, his sons and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha," a statement released by Liam's publicist said at the time. "They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."
Charytín lost Don Elín Ortiz after 38 years of marriage.
Entertainer, television personality, and host Charytín Goyco married producer, comic, and actor Don Elín Ortiz in 1978. He died at the age of 81 after battling Alzheimer's disease. The couple had three kids together.
Patton Oswalt lost Michelle McNamara after 11 years of marriage.
Comedian and actor Patton Oswalt and true crime author Michelle McNamara were married in 2005. She died in her sleep in April of 2016. At the time, she was working on the book I'll Be Gone in the Dark about the Golden State Killer. Patton made sure that the book was finished after she died. That book led to the arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, who police believe is the Golden State Killer.
Thalía lost Alfredo Díaz Ordaz while they were dating.
Alfredo Díaz Ortiz produced Thalía's first solo album. The couple dated for four years. Thalía was filming on the set of her telenovela Marimar when she found out that he had died from hepatitis C in December 1993. She was devastated, of course, and says that she took off running when she first heard the news.
Katie Couric lost Jay Monahan after 9 years of marriage.
Journalist and TV personality Katie Couric and lawyer Jay Monahan married in 1989 and had two daughters together. In 1998, he died from cancer of the colon. To this day, Katie continues to honor his memory by raising awareness of how getting colonoscopies can help catch cancer in the colon before it's too late.
Yoko Ono lost John Lennon after 11 years of marriage.
Their love story is one for the ages. They fell in love almost instantly when they met at a gallery exhibiting Yoko's work, even though they were both married at the time. For better or worse, depending on who you ask, they ended up together and were married in 1969. They remained married until the awful day that John Lennon was murdered in 1980.
