And: I will never really understand why, sometimes, the death of a celebrity affects us as if we knew the person personally--but sometimes that's how it feels. Like many people, I was deeply shocked by the death of actress, wife, and mother Natasha Richardson. The idea that you could fall down, get up, laugh about the fall--and then pass away 24 hours later is just bone-chilling. Note to us all: Yes, savor the moment, remember how precious life is, hug your kids...but also wear helmets.
Deepa is a wife, mother, writer and she sometimes masquerades as a lawyer as well. She revels in friendship, humor, champagne, and laughing at herself--often. She never ever reads US Magazine, thinks Rushdie is a genius, wishes she could write one sentence as funny as "Arrested Development," and lives in the Bay Area with her motley crew. She can be reached at deviswithbabies@gmail.com
I think the death of Natasha Richardson affected me so deeply because of a few reasons. The first is as you had mentioned, that you fall down, get up and are gone in 24 hours. The second is that it was so preventable, she should have worn a helmet (what the heck was the ski instructor thinking?). Perhaps she would have gotten hurt anyway but the damage may not have been so severe. But most importantly, she was an acclaimed actress, both film and Broadway, from an acting dynasty, married to an equally famous actor and yet seemed so down to earth. No personal dramas laid out for public consumption, just an intelligent, caring woman, living with her husband, raising her boys and progressing in her career. Tragic loss, I admired her acting skills in The Handmaid's Tale and Nell.
Her death affected me as well for the reasons you mentioned...and because I have a little one and imagine what happens to him if I'm gone? =(