When Chadwick Boseman, the 43-year-old star of ground-breaking superhero movie Black Panther , following a private four-year battle with colon cancer, colleagues, fans, and admirers of his work were left in a state of shock.
Boseman had never publicly discussed his condition and worked on multiple blockbuster action movies during and between "countless" operations and chemotherapy, his family said in a statement.
"It was the honour of his career to bring King T'Challa to life in 'Black Panther,'" they said.
"A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all," the statement continued. He died in his home "with his wife and family by his side."
It wasn't long before the initial shock of Boseman's death spurred a collective reflection across social media, with many showing awe at all that the actor had achieved while so unwell, and considering the ways in which we're often oblivious to what is really going on in someone's life.
"We never know what people are enduring," Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, tweeted.
"Humans...we are wonders."
"It was Chadwick Boseman’s choice to stay silent about his health," speaker and founder Goldie Chan wrote, adding: "You never know the secret physical or mental health battles that a person or their loved one is fighting.
"Be gentle, be kind, be patient."
Social justice advocate and writer Shanita Hubbard tweeted: "Chadwick Boseman out here literally dying in front of us is a HUGE reminder that we never know what battles people are fighting."
She continued: "You don't know what's killing a person. Be kind. Offer grace. Be gentle. Love freely."
Boseman's loss was felt by many, with politicians including sharing in the shock and gravity of his passing.
"Heartbroken," Harris tweeted.
"My friend and fellow Bison Chadwick Boseman was brilliant, kind, learned, and humble. He left too early but his life made a difference. Sending my sincere condolences to his family."
