The Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman tragically passed away at the age of 43 following a battle with colon cancer. Fans of the Avengers icon, who was a role model to so many people, mourned the terrible loss on Twitter, and were quick to mention that 2020 claimed the life of another Black legend: Kobe Bryant. The NBA star and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna both lost their lives in a helicopter crash on January 26. “Losing Black Panther and Black Mamba in this of all years feel like some terrible, tragic movie script,” one Twitter user wrote, while others were in disbelief that both icons were lost in the same year.
“We lost Black Mamba and Black panther in the same year. 2020 is on some other sh*t. Rest in Power Chadwick Boseman. Wakanda Forever,” one fan tweeted, while another wrote, “The Black Mamba and the Black Panther in the same year. This vortex of awful that is 2020 remains relentless.” The loss of these two icons only adds to the chaos of 2020, which has included a global pandemic shutting down major world cities and toppling economies, and heightened racial tensions not only in the United States, but around the world.
Chadwick lost his fight with colon cancer on Friday, Aug. 28: a battle he hid from the world for four years. The actor was diagnosed with the disease in 2016 when it was in stage III, and managed to keep fighting for four more years until it reached terminal status in 2020. “It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman,” his family wrote in a heartbreaking tweet.
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy.” Shortly after the news of his death broke, tributes began pour in from friends and fans alike, including his fellow Marvel stars who were heartbroken by the news of their friend’s passing.