In the past couple of weeks, tragedy has repeated itself multiple times with prominent figures such as Dikembe Mutombo, Dame Maggie Smith, and James Earl Jones passing away in September.
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo died on September 30, 2024. Mutombo was a Congolese-American basketball player born on June 25, 1966 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. He later came to study in the United States in 1987 on an academic scholarship. Mutombo played at Georgetown University from 1988 to 1991 before getting drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 draft. His career lasted 18 years, during which he played on many NBA teams including the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets.
While Mutombo had on-court accomplishments, he has also had many off-court accomplishments. Former French soccer player, Thierry Henry said, “I never met someone whose heart was larger than life and the human being was better than the player.”
Mutombo started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997 to help the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2007, he created a 300-bed facility named after his mother, the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital. This hospital was in the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, and it treated many people.
Dikembe Mutombo has inspired many other African players and opened the door for them. When asked to articulate Mutombo’s impact, Cameroon-American NBA player Joel Embiid said, “It’s a sad day for us Africans and the whole world. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people and he was a role model of mine.”
Dame Maggie Smith
The British actress, Dame Maggie Smith, was born on December 28, 1934, and died on September 27, 2024. Smith has been in ‘Downton Abbey’, ‘Sister Act’, ‘The Miracle Club’, ‘California Suite’, ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’, and ‘The First Wives Club’, but was most known for her role in the ‘Harry Potter’ movie franchise as Professor Minerva McGonagall.
Smith has been nominated for six Academy Awards and has won twice. In 1969, she won Best Actress for ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ and in 1978, she won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for ‘California Suite.’
Daniel Radcliffe said, “She was a fierce intellect, had a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant, and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny.” When paying tribute, Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Wesly in ‘Harry Potter’ said, “She embodied that perfect balance of sass and loving care that McGonagall has.”
On Friday, September 27, ‘Harry Potter’ fans raised their wands outside the Hogwarts Castle replica in Florida in a tribute to Maggie Smith.
James Earl Jones
The American actor, James Earl Jones, born January 17, 1931, died on September 9, 2024, at age 93. Jones has been in many big movies such as ‘Coming to America 1’, ‘Coming 2 America’, ‘The Lion King 1094’, and ‘The Lion King’ 2019.
Although he’s had so many big roles, he’s most known for being the Darth Vader voice in the ‘Star Wars’ franchise. His voice made the character Darth Vader. When describing Jones’s portrayal, Millbrook teacher Mathew Cope said, “His voice is so deep and because of this it pulls you in and makes you want to understand who Darth Vader is.”
He has also impacted people in other movies. In ‘The Sandlot’, Jones’ character, Mr. Mertle, is a former baseball player who owns “The Beast.” When asked “How has James Earl Jones impacted you?” Mr. Cope replied, “In ‘The Sandlot’, Jones’ character shows that you should not base your construct of who someone is on a perception. You should talk to them to understand who they are and I also talk about it with my kids.”
Although these celebrities are gone, they will never be forgotten. Their impact lives on and continues.
