Famous Celebrities and Public Figures Who Died From COVID-19 and the Lives They Left Behind

COVID-19 changed the world in ways that are still difficult to measure.

The pandemic affected families, hospitals, artists, musicians, actors, politicians, athletes, writers, and public figures across the globe. It also took the lives of several well-known people whose work had shaped music, theater, television, politics, sports, comedy, and culture.

This article remembers famous figures whose deaths were publicly reported as caused by COVID-19, coronavirus complications, or COVID-related illness. The focus is not on fear or shock. It is on the lives they lived, the work they left behind, and the public impact they had.

Colin Powell

Colin Powell died on October 18, 2021, from complications of COVID-19. He was 84.

Powell was a four-star general, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, national security adviser, and the first Black U.S. secretary of state. His family announced that he died from COVID-19 complications, and his death became one of the most widely reported public-figure losses of the pandemic.

Powell’s legacy is historic and complex. He held some of the most powerful military and diplomatic roles in the United States and became one of the most recognizable American leaders of his generation.

John Prine

John Prine died on April 7, 2020, from complications of the coronavirus. He was 73.

Prine was one of America’s most beloved singer-songwriters. His songs mixed humor, sadness, ordinary detail, and deep emotional truth. Tracks like “Angel from Montgomery,” “Sam Stone,” “Hello in There,” and “In Spite of Ourselves” made him a songwriter’s songwriter.

His death hit the music world especially hard because Prine had spent decades helping people make sense of loneliness, grief, aging, love, and everyday life.

Charley Pride

Charley Pride died on December 12, 2020, from complications of COVID-19. He was 86.

Pride was one of country music’s most important trailblazers. He became the first Black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and one of the most successful country artists of his era. His best-known songs include “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’,” “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” and “Mountain of Love.”

His success changed country music history. At a time when very few Black artists were welcomed into mainstream Nashville, Pride built a career that opened doors for others.

Nick Cordero

Broadway actor Nick Cordero died on July 5, 2020, after a long battle with COVID-19 complications. He was 41.

Cordero was known for stage roles in Bullets Over Broadway, Waitress, A Bronx Tale, and Rock of Ages. His wife, Amanda Kloots, shared updates during his months-long hospitalization, and his story became one of the most followed celebrity COVID cases of 2020.

His death was especially painful for Broadway fans because he was young, active, and still building a major career. He left behind a legacy of stage work, music, and the affection of the theater community.

Adam Schlesinger

Adam Schlesinger died on April 1, 2020, after contracting the coronavirus. He was 52.

Schlesinger was a co-founder of Fountains of Wayne, the band behind “Stacy’s Mom.” He also wrote the Oscar-nominated title song for That Thing You Do! and won Emmys for his work on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Terrence McNally

Terrence McNally died on March 24, 2020, from complications of the coronavirus. He was 81.

McNally was one of America’s great playwrights. His work included Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class, Ragtime, and Kiss of the Spider Woman. He won multiple Tony Awards and helped shape modern American theater.

Dawn Wells

Dawn Wells died on December 30, 2020, of causes related to COVID-19. She was 82.

Wells was best known as Mary Ann Summers on Gilligan’s Island. Her role made her part of American TV nostalgia, and fans remembered her for warmth, humor, and a character who remained beloved for decades.

Her death reminded viewers that the pandemic was also taking familiar faces from the comfort shows many people had grown up watching.

Larry King

Larry King died on January 23, 2021, after being hospitalized with COVID-19. He was 87.

King was one of the most recognizable interviewers in American television history. His long-running CNN show Larry King Live featured presidents, celebrities, athletes, authors, business leaders, and everyday newsmakers.

Ken Shimura

Ken Shimura died in March 2020 after contracting the coronavirus. He was 70.

Shimura was one of Japan’s most beloved comedians and became one of the country’s first major celebrity deaths linked to COVID-19. His death shocked Japan and helped many people understand how serious the virus could be.

For Japanese audiences, Shimura was not just a comedian. He was a familiar presence across generations.

Herman Cain

Herman Cain died on July 30, 2020, from complications of the coronavirus. He was 74.

Cain was a businessman, former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, conservative commentator, and former Republican presidential candidate. His death became part of the public conversation around politics and the pandemic.

Carlos Marín

Carlos Marín died in December 2021 from COVID-19 complications. He was 53.

Marín was the Spanish baritone in Il Divo, the pop-opera group created by Simon Cowell. His voice helped shape the group’s dramatic crossover sound, which brought classical-style vocals to mainstream audiences around the world.

His death was a major loss for Il Divo fans, and the group later continued while honoring his memory.

Joe Diffie

Country singer Joe Diffie died on March 29, 2020, from coronavirus complications. He was 61.

Diffie was known for 1990s country hits such as “Pickup Man,” “John Deere Green,” and “Third Rock from the Sun.” His death came early in the pandemic and was one of the first major losses in the country music world linked to COVID-19.

Alan Merrill

Alan Merrill died in March 2020 after contracting COVID-19. He was 69.

Merrill was best known as a co-writer of “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll,” the song later made globally famous by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. That one song became a rock anthem and gave Merrill a permanent place in music history.

His death came during the early wave of pandemic losses in the music industry.

Ragaa El-Gedawy

Egyptian actress Ragaa El-Gedawy died in July 2020 after contracting COVID-19. She was 81.

El-Gedawy was one of Egypt’s best-known actresses, with a long career across film and television. Her death was widely mourned in Egyptian and Arab entertainment circles.

Her inclusion also reminds readers that COVID-19 losses were global. The pandemic affected public figures far beyond Hollywood, Nashville, Broadway, or U.S. politics.

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