After losing one of the most famous Disney actors to SUDEP, Cameron Boyce, the media seemed to go into a frenzy over his loss. Every day, we come across another celebrity or fan sharing their heartfelt condolences for the loss. Although, after the sudden loss of Cameron, a lot of people in the media began to speculate as to why the public was grieving— especially if they didn't know him personally. Well, that's easy. I can answer that for you.
We grew up with him.
Every day after school or every morning at breakfast, we would see Cameron or someone similar on our TV screens. We grew up watching him in the media, relating to him. Any kid will tell you that the cast of their favorite TV show feels almost as if they're best friends with those people. We saw ourselves in those shows. Kids' channels on TV were made specifically for us, whereas we weren't all allowed to watch non-kids shows. I think it's safe to say that over time, we bonded with those familiar faces. So, when we see someone from our childhood who passes away, it's only logical that we'd grieve. Sure, we didn't know them on a personal level. We still had memories with them. Each and every one of us who grew up with channels like Disney and Nickelodeon had developed some sort of attachment via memories we've made.
Except... it's not just that.
Of course, we're grieving. That's only natural. That doesn't mean that there isn't a deeper side to it as well. Think about this. A vast majority of people who grew up with Cameron Boyce on their screens were also the same age as him. It's no secret that when people tend to hit their late teens and early 20's, we feel invincible. Like the world could never hurt us *that* bad. Cameron's death is a reminder to a lot of people that we actually aren't invincible. It reminds us that life is so delicate and treasured, and a lot of the way we see things becomes shifted.
Have you ever lost someone close to your age in your town? Maybe you didn't know them personally, but it still affects you. You still get the knee-jerk reaction when you hear their name and the news that they've passed. Maybe you knew them through mutual friends or they lived in the next town over. It may not be as earth-shattering as the grief process would be like with losing a family member, but you still feel sad. It's all for the same reason. It's a reminder that death can be unexpected. That death could take any of us at any moment. Not only is it just a reminder, but it's f*cking terrifying.
Cameron Boyce's death is a reminder to us. That's why it hit some of us pretty hard.
Sure, maybe some people of the public take it to far, but that doesn't make any room for belittling those people. The truth is, you have no clue what kind of attachment someone may feel to a celebrity. Whoever it is that inspired them to get through the tough times. At the end of the day, we're all gonna grieve the loss of someone who we grew up with— even if they didn't grow up beside us.
He reminded us of ourselves. Waking up one morning to find out that someone who you've watched through your childhood has died? When you step back and look at it, it's scary to see that next time, it could be anyone. It isn't just Cameron either. Celebrity death hits so many people. Mac Miller fans, Nipsey Hussle fans, XXXtentacion fans. Those famous faces were young people, just like us.
If there is a lesson to be learned in any of the deaths that took those people too soon, it's an important lesson. Hug your loved ones a little more often. Reminds your friends to be safe. Tell people you love them. Let the loss be a lesson you know you need to learn.
For more information on SUDEP, Epilepsy, and how you can help, please visit The Epilepsy Foundation, or The Cameron Boyce Foundation.
