2018 has been a really emotional year with all the celebrity deaths that occurred. Not too long ago, we lost Aretha Franklin and Burt Reynolds. Earlier this year, we lost Avicii, Anthony Bourdain, and Kate Spade all to suicide. And it hurts me to say that today, we lost another one.
For those who may not be familiar, Malcolm James McCormick, otherwise known as Mac Miller, was a musician like no other. Yes, he was the ex-boyfriend of Ariana Grande (who should in no way be blamed for his death). But the man was famous in his own right: he wasn't just a rapper but he was also a noted producer under the alias Larry Fisherman.
Whenever I see a celebrity's name trending on Twitter, I always hope that it's not what I think it is before I check to see why they're trending. So when I clicked his name, my worst fear was true: Mac Miller passed away today from an apparent overdose at the age of 26. Twenty-six years old.
I'm not going to talk about substance abuse, the horrible stigma it carries, or the struggles that addicts face because that's not the point of this article. What I will say is that no matter what demons Mac Miller was facing, he doesn't deserve any disrespect for his drug abuse.
This hits really hard for me to learn he is gone, and as of this writing, I am still trying to process everything. His last tweet was from just last night, and he was expressing how excited he was to go on tour and that he wished it would start tomorrow. Do you know how heartbreaking it is to see this, only to learn that he died the next day?
The more I looked through my timeline and seeing all the tweets and articles, the more I just didn't want to believe it...and I still don't want to believe it. I don't want to believe that a man who was so young with so much talent, a likable personality, and just an all-around amazing person could be gone from the world so soon.
I know it seems silly to feel distraught over a celebrity's death because I never knew Mac personally (I didn't even know he had drug problems). But it feels like I lost one of my closest friends. Even if you weren't a fan of his music, you have to admit that Mac was such a genuine, down-to-earth guy. He was someone you just could not bring yourself to hate for any reason.
To watch what is now his final Instagram story, to watch interviews he did with several people, to read his recent tweets about his new music...is a sinking feeling that's hard to shake off. If you ever want to cry for a long time, just watch his NPR Tiny Desk performance (warning: this will break your heart immediately).
It's very hard trying to get my thoughts together to piece this article because my mind is all over the place with his untimely death. How can someone so young and seemingly so vibrant just be gone in an instant? It beggars belief, but it just goes to show that we never really know what someone might be going through. With that being said, please check up on your friends. Even if they say they're okay, it doesn't hurt to ask again. Don't start to really care when it's too late.
Malcolm, even though you left this world too soon, I hope you've found your peace. Rest easy, sweet man; for you are among legends now.
