THEGAYUK

Tag: RIP

All the latest breaking news on people who have recently died. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on people who have recently died.

  • Man Killed In Sydney Siege Leaves Behind Partner Of 14 Years

    The man who has been hailed a hero, after being killed after he grabbed the gun of terrorist Man Haron Monis has been named as Tori Johnson.

    Mr Johnson, 34, was the manager at the cafe in Sydney when self-styled Muslim cleric Man Haron Monis took 17 staff and patrons hostage during a 16-hour siege over the weekend. The lone gunman was eventually killed after a sustained gun fight. It is believed that Mr Johnson, who had worked at the cafe since October 2012, tried to overpower the gunman to protect staff and customers.

    The horrific ordeal began at 9:45 AM, when police were notified and called to Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney’s Martin Place in the central business district. The siege eventually ended at 2:10 AM when commandos stormed the cafe. The exact sequence of events inside the building is not clear.

    Mr Johnson had been in a long-term relationship with his partner of 14 years – Mr Thomas Zinn, who is currently being looked after by Mr Johnson’s family. A statement from the family have said via a journalist Ben Fordham,

    “We are so proud of our beautiful boy Tori, gone from this earth but forever in our memories as the most amazing life partner, son and brother we could ever wish for.

    “We feel heartfelt sorrow for the family of Katrina Dawson.

    “We’d like to thank not only our friends and loved ones for their support, but the people of Sydney; Australia and those around the world for reaching out with their thoughts and prayers.

    “Our deepest gratitude to the NSW police, armed forces and paramedics for their tireless efforts.

    “We ask that the media respects our privacy in this difficult time.

    “Let us all pray for peace on earth.”

    A former colleague Peter Manettas said Mr Johnson was,

    “a very selfless manager… he put his staff first in everything that he did.”

    A co-worker, and mother of three Katrina Dawson, 38 also died.

  • 23-Year-Old Man Commits Suicide After Coming Out To His Family

    A young man killed himself by jumping off the Severn Bridge an inquest in Gloucestershire heard.

    His distraught mother told the corner’s court in Gloucestershire that she thought he might have been embarrassed after coming out – despite the family ‘fully accepting’ he was gay.

    The body of the 23-year-old man, named as Darren Crotty, was found near the Sharpness Dock on the River Severn on the 29th April. He had been reported missing on the 5th March 2014.

    Police had put out an appeal for Darren, who lived in Bishopston.

    He has been reported missing by his flatmates after they found a suicide note under his pillow.
    Ms. Crotty said, ‘He was a quiet, intelligent boy with a good sense of humour.

    ‘He told us he was gay and we had no issues with that but I think he was embarrassed and perhaps unsure of his sexuality.’

    His housemate, Martin Leefield said, ‘I found the suicide note and he had written that he intended to jump off the Severn Bridge so I immediately contacted the police.’

    A calendar at Darren’s house had been marked with the letter “S” on the 31st January.

    The Mirror reports that the Senior coroner for Gloucestershire Katy Skerrett, said, ‘He left a detailed suicide note and apologised for the stress this would cause but he always planned to do this.

    ‘The trigger for him taking his own life we will never know but it was probably related to his coming out as being gay.’

    If you are facing difficulties with your sexuality, the London Lesbian And Gay Switchboard is available to take your calls from 10AM- 11PM seven days a week. Their number is: 0300 330 0630 or you can use the Instant message system at http://www.llgs.org.uk/instant-messaging.html

  • Mike Nichols, director of The Birdcage dies

    The acclaimed film and theatre director Mike Nichols has died in New York at the age of 83. Nicholls was one of the few people ever to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.

    He won his Oscar back in 1967 for his groundbreaking film The Graduate and went on to be nominated for another 4 Oscars after that. Nichols’s stunning TV miniseries of Tony Kushner’s political epic about the AIDS crisis during the mid-eighties Angels In America earned him a Best Director Emmy, one of 9 that the series was awarded.

    Much loved by the gay community… he did, after all, start his film career directing the magnificent Elizabeth Taylor in Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Wolfe? he will always be remembered by us for his hilarious and joyous camp movie The Birdcage with its glorious performances by Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.

    Meryl Streep who worked with Nichols on “Silkwood,” “Heartburn” and as well as “Angels in America.” Said today: ‘He was an inspiration and joy to know, a director who cried when he laughed, a friend without whom, well, we can’t imagine our world, an indelible irreplaceable man.’

  • BREAKING NEWS | Gay icon Joan Rivers dies, aged 81

    Joan Rivers has passed away after being on life support in Mount Sinai Hospital. She had suffered a cardiac arrest in New York last week. She was 81.

    In a statement, her daughter Melissa said she died surrounded by family and friends, and she thanked hospital staff for their “amazing care”.

    ‘My mother’s greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon.’

    Joan Rivers was due to tour the UK in comedy tour in October.

  • Obituary: Film Maker, Producer and Actor Richard Attenborough

    Since the death of Richard Attenborough was announced yesterday, we have been reminded of the prolific work of this British theatrical and film genius, which scooped up endless awards over his very long career.

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  • Man dies after vibrator gets stuck in his rectum for five days

    A man has died after a vibrator was stuck in his anus for five days, after being too embarrassed to seek advice from doctors.

    The fifty-year-old carer from Forest Hill, London, was rushed into hospital on New Year’s Eve after telling a friend that he had been ‘lying on the sofa for five days feeling dizzy and weak’, the Evening Standard reports.

    The man went into septic shock and was rushed into emergency surgery at Lewisham Hospital to remove the vibrator from his anus, Southwark Coroner’s Court heard on Tuesday. He died over a month later on 7th February.

    The autopsy revealed that the man died of multiple organ failure, sepsis (a condition that is triggered by an infection) and a punctured bowel.

    If sepsis is not treated quickly multiple organ failures may result.

    The coroner ruled that the man ‘died as a result of an accident.’

  • Gay Icon And Screen Legend Lauren Bacall has died aged 89

    Lauren Bacall passed away today in New York at the age of 89, after a career that spanned seven decades.

    After the death of Robin Williams yesterday, another acting legend, Lauren Bacall has died. Known for her smoky voice and sultry looks, Lauren was one of the remaining stars of the golden age of Hollywood.

    She became a bit of a gay icon, winning legions of fans, with her films, How To Marry A Millionaire (opposite Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable), Written On The Wind as Rock Hudson’s muse and the mother of Barbra Streisand’s character in the 1996 film, The Mirror Has Two Faces. That film earned the actress a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination.

    She also lent her reputation to High Point coffee in the late 70s and early 80s – which resulted in these ultra campy commercials.

    In pop cultural references, Bacall was also name checked in Madonna’s Vogue, which listed many Golden Age of Hollywood stars.

    She was known as deeply liberal and anti-Republican. In an interview with Larry King in 2005 she said, ‘being a liberal is the best thing on earth you can be. You are welcoming to everyone when you’re a liberal. You do not have a small mind.’

    She reportedly died after a major stroke in her New York home.

  • Robin Williams Dies After Apparent Suicide

    It’s going to be a sad day for many as we hear the news of Robin Williams’ passing. Such a delightful talent who had created so many wonderful characters and memories on TV and the silver screen.

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  • Obituary: Dora Bryan

    The death of veteran actress Dora Bryan has been announced this week at the grand old age of 91 years old.

    This star of stage, screen and radio specialised in playing scatter-brained blondes and even though they were often small parts, she always managed to steal the scene.

    Her long and varied career saw her working alongside some of the greats in British entertainment. She was on Hancock’s Half Hour on radio, co-starred in British classic movies such as The Great St Trinians Train Robbery, and Carry On Sergeant appeared in numerous TV shows including The Last of The Summer Wine and Victoria Wood’s Dinner Ladies and she starred in the West End in shows like ‘Hello Dolly’ and ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’.

    There was a serious side to her acting too and in 1962 she won a BAFTA Best Actress Award for her role in Tony Richardson’s gritty film A Taste Of Honey.

    To gay men, she was the complete epitome of camp and managed to be as outrageous as she could in all the great comic roles that came her way. None so more when towards the end of her career she played go to June Whitfield’s best friend in the Jennifer Saunders Absolutely Fabulous a role, which earned her another BAFTA Best Actress Nomination.

    This tiny woman was in her way, a legend, an Icon and a true star in the old-fashioned sense of the word. The world will be a sadder place now that she has gone.

  • Bear icon Chris Miklos dies aged 40

    Bear Icon and Model Chris Miklos has died in his sleep aged 40.

    The Dallas Voice is reporting that the bear Icon and model Chris Miklos has died aged just 40. He had become a noted model for the bear community.

    Chris Miklos reportedly died of a heart attack in Dallas, Texas on Saturday night, although these reports are unconfirmed.

    At the time of his death Chris Miklos had been promoting a Kickstarter project for a 2015 calendar.

    A statement from Mack Sturgis Studios says, ‘We here at Mack Sturgis Studio are devastated to have heard the news about Chris’s passing. Chris has basically been our Spokesmodel since he first walked into our studio 2 1/2 years ago…immediately inspiring us with his rugged good looks, charming personality, and adventurous willingness to help bring our visions to life. It is my sincere honor to have known him and to have had the opportunity to create the body of work we created together…from a beyond fantasy fireman to an image of masculine beauty encased in a shell of leather. Through Chris I found a direction for my Mack Sturgis vision and with the simplest of gestures he could project a beam of life through the lens of the camera, creating an image immediately representing the essence of male strength and valor. The beauty of his spirit and laugh perfectly mirrored what we all saw in the resulting images.’

    TheGayUK extends its condolences to Chris Miklo’s friends, family and fans.

  • Harvey Milk speechwriter and and author Frank M Robinson dies, 87

    Frank M Robinson, who was a renowned science fiction and thriller writer has died at the age of 87 today.

    Born in 1926, Frank M. Robinson moved to San Franciso in the 1970s where he became a a speechwriter for Harvey Milk. He also had a small role in the film Milk.

    He was the author of 16 books, 3 of which were made into films, The Power, The Glass Inferno (made into The Towering Inferno) and The Gold Crew.

    Dustin Lance Black paid tribute to the author saying, ‘This morning FRANK M. ROBINSON left this world. He was Milk’s speech writer, an acclaimed sci-fi author and was like a father to me. To say the earth feels made of quicksand lately makes it sound too solid. Frank, I’ll miss your thunderous laughter, your protective love and your razor sharp writer’s mind. #HarveyMilk’

    A note on Frank’s website notes meeting Dustin Lance Black and the making of Milk saying, ‘An amazing experience. They had a guy picked out to play me–met him later on–and then Sean Penn, Gus van Sant (director), and Lance Black (screenwriter–smart, talented, a workhorse and friendly) came over to the house and Penn interviewed me for an hour and a half about Harvey (I used to be Harvey’s speechwriter). Afterward, took them all to dinner at an upscale Burmese restaurant on Castro. Sean had to leave early and I entertained Gus and Lance with tales about Rogue and Playboy. Naturally they were fascinated (translation: bored stiff).’