A legend passes. Nelson Mandela was battling health issues for the past couple of years, but he’s always seemed to persevere through them somehow. Alas, it couldn’t last forever, and Mandela passed away earlier today, at the age of 95. As the beloved icon of an entire nation and the entire world, he will be missed and he will be remembered.
Celebrities have already started tweeting their condolences, including [for some reason] reality stars. Jamie Foxx tweeted, “Rest in Peace Mr. Nelson Mandela. A fearless leader, incredible human being, inspiration, a REAL hero. Truly one of a kind. God bless you.”
President Obama also said, “Let us pause and give thanks for the fact that Nelson Mandela lived.” Indeed. We also have notable news anchors weighing in, with Barbara Walters tweeting, “A remarkable man and an inspiration to all. Remembering #NelsonMandela.” Anderson Cooper also tweeted, “Mandela is gone. There is no one else like him.” Mia Farrow also tweeted an emotional tribute, saying, “Beloved Madiba you taught the world to walk from anger toward peace and understanding. No words can adequately express our gratitude. RIP.”
These tweets are all emotional and well thought out, and most of these aforementioned public figures either met or knew Mandela, and they understood the contributions he made to our world.
What’s frustrating is that all these D-list reality stars are now also jumping on the bandwagon, taking advantage of Mandela’s death to gain sympathy followers. I don’t want to lump them all into one group, but I guarantee half of these people barely knew who Mandela was. Take, for example, Kris Jenner. Not even a simple few words, but a picture AND a quote, saying, “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” Really, Kris? Let’s hope she doesn’t compare herself to Mandela next.
It truly is a tragic loss for our world. Mandela was one of the great influences of our time, and he will be remembered long after his death.
