Top 10 Celebrity Deaths of 2009

Although more than just ten celebrities died this year, I have chosen the ten that most people from all generations are familiar with. I compiled this list because people are always shocked to hear about a celebrities death, especially the young stars. I have listed them from the most recent to the beginning of 2009.

1.Brittany Murphy, known for her roles in Clueless and Just Married, died on December 20, 2009 due to cardiac arrest. The LA Fire Department was called to her home around 8:00 am where they found her in full cardiac arrest and unable to be revived. She was rushed to Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 10:04 am. The reason for her cardiac arrest is unknown at this time. Against the wishes of her British writer husband, Simon Morjack, she is to have and autopsy and a toxicology test with the reports in a couple of weeks. She was 32.

2.Patrick Swayze died on September 14, 2009 after a 20 month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed with the cancer in January 2008. His final interview was with ABC New's Barbara Walters in which he talked about his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was known for his role in Dirty Dancing and Ghost where he co-starred with Demi Moore. He was 57.

3.Senator Ted Kennedy died on August 25, 2009 of brain cancer. He died in his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. He was the third Kennedy brother to die following former president John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy. Senator Kennedy, known as the "Liberal Lion", held up in office until he tragically died. He was 77.

4.Walter Cronkite, the CBS Evening News legend, died on July 17, 2009 at the age of 92. He was known for his sign off after every taping "that's the way it is". He was also known for his straight forward journalism and delivery of the news. He died in New York after battling a long illness.

5.Billy Mays died in his home on June 28, 2009. One of TV's "pitchmen", you know him from infomercials like Oxyclean and Mighty Putty. He was found dead in his Florida home due to cardiac arrest. Reports say that he died from lethal arrhythmia of the heart caused by hypertensive and arteriosclerotic heart disease. Toxicology reports also found that there was cocaine in his system and may have caused or contributed to his death. He was 50.

6.Farrah Fawcett, one of Charlie's Angels', lost her battle with a rare cancer on June 25, 2009 at the age of 62. Reports say that she died just two weeks after being admitted to a Los Angeles Hospital. She suffered from anal cancer for 3 years, which some say was ironic because many years earlier, she had done a commercial urging people to get tested for colon cancer. Anal cancer is a very rare and painful cancer, and her family said that she fought it bravely.

7.Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop", died June 25, 2009 (same day as Farrah Fawcett). His death was ruled a homicide with his physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, still under investigation. Today, Dr. Murray still proclaims his innocence, denying allegations that he over dosed the pop star. Results of autopsy and toxicology reports state that his cause of death was due to an over dose of a combination of drugs including midazdam, diazepam, lidocaine, and ephedrine. His shocking death came just before he was set to tour in London. He was 50.

8.Ed McMahon died on June 23, 2009 at the age of 86. He was known as the "face of Publisher Clearing House" , Star Search, and Johnny Carson's sidekick on The Tonight Show. Just before his death, he reported that he was battling bone cancer and just a few weeks prior to his death, he was suffering from pneumonia.

9.Dominick "Dom" Deluise known for his roles on The Cannon Ball Run and Blazing Saddles, died on May 5, 2009. He died in his sleep at his home after battling a long illness that was not specified. He was 75.

10.Charles Lewis, Jr. also known as "Mask" and co-owner of TapouT, died on June 25, 2009. He was reportedly racing another driver when he lost control of his $300,000 Ferrari in New Port Beach, California. The other driver was charged with hit and run. He had wrapped his Ferrari around a telephone pole where he died on the scene of the accident. He was 45.

Sources:

ndtv.com
readytobeat.com
associatedpress.com
cnn.com
abcnews.go.com
mtv.com/news
mydailynews.com
CBSNews.com