Shaping culture and breaking barriers
In a tragic turn of events, Tom Mann, a former contestant on 'X Factor,' experienced the loss of his fiancée on the day they were meant to exchange vows. Mann took to Instagram to express his disbelief and sorrow, stating, "I can’t believe I am writing these words but my darling Dani—my best friend, my everything and more, the love of my life—passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning, 18th June." He lamented that "what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives ended in irreversible heartbreak."
Hank Williams Jr., the famous country music artist, experienced a devastating blow with the sudden loss of his wife, Mary Jane Thomas. She reportedly died of a collapsed lung caused by a cosmetic surgery.
Singer Kelis suffered a tragic loss when her husband, photographer Mike Mora, passed away at the age of 37 after battling stage 4 stomach cancer. Kelis and Mora have a young daughter born in September 2020, and also share a son named Shepherd.
Fashion designer Tom Ford sadly lost his husband Richard Buckley in 2021 after 35 years together. Buckley passed away peacefully at home following a long illness, with both Ford and their son Jack by his side.
On July 12, 2020, Kelly Preston, actress and dearly loved wife of John Travolta, passed away after fighting breast cancer for two years. At the age of 57, she left behind her two children, Ella and Benjamin.
Elizabeth Hurley experienced a tragic loss when her ex-partner, film producer Steve Bing, allegedly ended his own life on June 22, 2020. Bing, aged 55, who was also the father of their son Damian, reportedly jumped off a building in Century City.
Kim Porter died on November 15, 2018. She had been in a relationship with Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, for 13 years. Porter and Combs had three children before their separation in 2007.
René Angélil became Céline Dion's husband in 1994, having managed her since 1981. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2016 due to cancer.
The American comedian's wife, Michelle McNamara, passed away suddenly in April 2016 at the age of 46. Oswalt wedded Meredith Salenger in November 2017.
The 'Taken' actor married actress Natasha Richardson in 1994. They were together until her tragic demise in 2009 after a skiing accident.
The couple had two sons together. Neeson has starred in numerous successful films after his wife's passing.
The famous actress wrote a book titled 'After You: Letters of Love, and Loss, to a Husband and Father,' which narrates her personal journey of grief.
The American actress and producer lost her husband in 1998, following a 22-year marriage. Director John Derek died from cardiovascular disease.
In 1994, the wealthy 89-year-old oil magnate J. Howard Marshall married model Anna Nicole Smith, who was 26 years old. Their union ended 14 months later with his death in 1995.
In 1992, Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of grunge band Nirvana, married musician Courtney Love.
Cobain ended his own life in 1994. Love carried on with her own music career, became passionate about art and fashion, and pursued acting. She stands with sexual abuse survivors, supports AIDS research, and aids LGBTQ youth, alongside other social causes.
John Lennon wed Yoko Ono in 1969. Despite a brief separation in the mid-1970s, they stayed together until Lennon's tragic assassination in 1980.
Yoko Ono has maintained Lennon's legacy by establishing the Strawberry Fields memorial in New York City, the John Lennon Museum in Japan, and the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, along with various other endeavors representing their shared passion for social change.
The director's second wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered in 1969. Tate and four friends were tragically killed by the Manson Family. Polanski later wed Emmanuelle Seigner in 1989.
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall crossed paths in 1943, when she was only 19. They tied the knot in 1945. Bacall and Bogart stayed together until Bogart passed away in 1957 due to cancer. Bacall is recognized as one of the greatest stars of classic Hollywood cinema. She died in 2014.
Mike Todd, a theater and film producer from America, wedded Elizabeth Taylor in 1957, becoming her third out of seven husbands. Tragically, Todd's life was ended in a plane crash in 1958.
His widow enjoyed a hugely successful film career. Her private life was often mired in controversy, but in her later years she was applauded for her HIV/AIDS activism. She died in 2011.
Alice Hathaway Lee, the first wife of the former president, passed away in 1884 due to childbirth-related complications at the age of 22.
Roosevelt later wed Edith Kermit Carow in 1886, and they went on to have five children together.
Victoria was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. She reigned from 1837 to 1901. In 1840, she wedded Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Prince Albert passed away in 1861. Suffering immense sorrow, the ruler descended into profound despondency and never fully returned to her former self. She remained unmarried and eventually died in 1901, aged 81.
This founding father experienced the loss of his wife at the age of 41. He had been married to Martha Wayles Skelton for a decade until her unfortunate death during childbirth in 1782.
On August 5, 2023, Sandra Bullock lost her partner Bryan Randall to ALS. The 57-year-old model-turned-photographer had been battling the disease privately for three years prior. Bullock and Randall first crossed paths in January 2015, when he was photographing her son's birthday party. Their relationship became public later that year. Although the couple never married, they were deeply committed to each other and to raising their respective children.
Following the demise of Marshall, Smith found himself entangled in a prolonged legal battle regarding matters of inheritance. Smith became a public figure with her own reality show, but passed away in 2007 due to an accidental overdose.
Natascha McElhone married plastic surgeon Martin Kelly in 1998. Sadly, he passed away suddenly in 2008 at age 43.
Carl Dean, husband of country music legend Dolly Parton, has passed away at the age of 82, in Nashville, Tennessee. His death was announced on March 3, 2025, by his wife of nearly 60 years.
Parton paid an emotional tribute to her husband, saying, "Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy."
See also: Celebrities who tragically lost their children
Losing your partner is earth-shattering. However, grief can often inspire courage and hope. Some of these widowed stars went on to achieve greatness, even after such a horrific loss. Yet others found the mourning process more difficult to move on from.
Browse this gallery of prominent celebs who managed to go on with life after losing their significant others.
Celebrities who experienced the loss of a partner
These stars survived one of the most difficult kinds of grief
CELEBRITY Grief
Losing your partner is earth-shattering. However, grief can often inspire courage and hope. Some of these widowed stars went on to achieve greatness, even after such a horrific loss. Yet others found the mourning process more difficult to move on from.
Browse this gallery of prominent celebs who managed to go on with life after losing their significant others.