Quick relate on dead celebs, based on something I learned yesterday.
Way back in the early 90's I worked at a casino that got a fairly moderate flow of celebrities, mostly because we were off-strip and low-tourist, and had a reputation as a place where celebs could go and not be hassled by fans. I met a handful of stars during the time I was there, but management had a clear policy about not messing with them. In fact, I often got to work directly with some of the regular visitors because of my ability to do my job without fawning. (truthfully, I often didn't recognize them unless I was told. I'm kinda obtuse that way)
One such celeb was Charles Bronson, who came in pretty regular in the time following his wife's death. We were told who he was and ordered not to disturb him; you could tell by looking at him he wasn't right; I chalked up up to grieving at the time, but even knowing who he was you could look right at him and not see "Charles Bronson". He just looked completely done in. Kinda spacey, sunk in on himself and not altogether there.
Fast forward to years later, Bronson's dead and I'm in a whole different life than that one. But yesterday I found out he died of Alzheimer's, something I have very recent experience with watching in another person. Suddenly all the things I observed in the guy years ago make sense, and even though he's been dead for a while, I'm sad about it now because of the new i nformation.
The odd part is I still am not grieving for "Charles Bronson." I'm sad for the lonely old man who came into our casino a few times who was beginning to slowly waste away and we never saw it for what it really was. That guy I grieve for, because I knew him. But he wasn't really ever "Charles Bronson" to me, and I guess he still isn't...