Losing a public figure always feels a little weird. You don’t actually know them, but their work—the songs you blasted in your car, the shows you watched as a kid, or even the weirdly specific comic strips on your office wall—makes them feel like part of the furniture of your life.
This week has been particularly heavy. Honestly, it’s one of those weeks where the news just keeps coming, and it feels like a lot to wrap your head around. From a legendary rock co-founder to a former child star whose life was cut tragically short, the list of who famous died this week covers a wide range of industries and legacies.
If you feel a bit of "grief fatigue," you're definitely not alone. It’s a lot to process.
The Tragic Loss of Kianna Underwood
Friday morning, January 16, brought some of the most heartbreaking news of the week. Kianna Underwood, whom many of us remember from her days on Nickelodeon’s All That, was killed in a hit-and-run in Brooklyn.
She was only 33.
It’s the kind of story that makes your stomach drop. According to the NYPD, she was crossing the street in the Brownsville section around 7 a.m. when she was struck by a gray sedan. The driver didn’t even stop. It’s a senseless, violent end for someone who brought so much joy to kids in the early 2000s.
Underwood wasn’t just a face on All That; she was a talented voice actress too. If you grew up watching Little Bill, you’ll remember her as the voice of Fuchsia Glover. She had been acting since she was seven years old. Seeing a career that started so young end this way feels particularly cruel.
A Grateful Dead Legend: Bob Weir
On January 10, the music world lost a true titan. Bob Weir, the rhythm guitarist and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, passed away at 78.
He had been dealing with cancer and lung issues for a while.
For Deadheads, this isn’t just a death; it’s the end of an era. Weir was the "glue" of the band. While Jerry Garcia was the soul, Weir provided the structure. He was the guy who could hold down a groove while everyone else was spiraling into a twenty-minute improvisational jam.
Even after the Dead technically "ended" following Garcia's death in 1995, Weir never really stopped. He was constantly on the road with Dead & Company or Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros. He lived for the stage. It’s hard to imagine the American rock landscape without his presence, but his influence on jam band culture is pretty much permanent at this point.
The Complex Legacy of Scott Adams
On Tuesday, January 13, Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip, died at 68. He had been public about his battle with prostate cancer, even mentioning in May 2025 that he didn't have much time left.
Adams is a complicated figure to talk about. On one hand, Dilbert was a masterpiece of corporate satire. If you’ve ever worked in a cubicle, you’ve probably related to his drawings. He understood the absurdity of office life better than almost anyone.
On the other hand, his later years were defined by intense controversy. His political commentary and specifically some comments made in 2023 led to his strip being dropped by most major newspapers. Regardless of how you feel about his personal views, his impact on pop culture and the way we view "the workplace" was massive. His ex-wife shared his final message on Rumble, where he apparently found peace in his faith before passing.
Music and Entertainment: Other Notable Passings
The music world took a few more hits this week that might have flown under your radar if you weren't looking.
- John Forté: The Grammy-nominated producer and musician, famous for his work with the Fugees, died on January 12 at age 50. He had such a wild life story—from stardom to a drug trafficking conviction, a presidential pardon from George W. Bush, and a successful career rebirth. His death was sudden and hit the hip-hop community hard.
- Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin: The guitarist for the experimental rock band Black Midi passed away at just 26. He had stepped away from the band previously to deal with mental health issues, and his loss is a stark reminder of the pressures faced by young artists in the industry today.
- Guy Moon: If you watched cartoons in the 90s or 2000s, you knew his music. He composed the scores for The Fairly OddParents and Danny Phantom. He died on January 8 after being hit by a car while riding a scooter in Los Angeles.
- Yeison Jiménez: The Colombian singer died in a tragic plane crash on January 10 at the age of 34. He was a massive star in the "musica popular" genre, and his death has caused a huge wave of mourning in Colombia.
Civil Rights Icon: Claudette Colvin
We also lost Claudette Colvin this week at the age of 86. While she wasn't a "celebrity" in the Hollywood sense, her contribution to history is immeasurable.
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Most people know Rosa Parks, but nine months before Rosa refused to move, a 15-year-old Claudette Colvin did the exact same thing in Montgomery. Because she was a teenager (and later became pregnant), civil rights leaders at the time felt she wasn't the "right" face for the movement.
She lived a long life, but it’s sort of a shame that it took decades for her to get the widespread credit she deserved. Her death marks the passing of one of the last living links to the early days of the Montgomery bus boycott.
Dealing with the News of Who Famous Died This Week
It’s easy to get sucked into a doom-scroll when these headlines pop up. When we look at who famous died this week, it’s a mix of natural causes, tragic accidents, and long-fought illnesses.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the news, here are a few ways to channel that energy:
- Revisit their work: The best way to honor an artist or a public figure is to engage with what they left behind. Watch an old episode of All That, put on American Beauty by the Grateful Dead, or read up on the court cases Claudette Colvin was involved in.
- Support a cause: Many of these figures had causes they cared about. For someone like Kianna Underwood, it might be supporting arts programs for kids. For Bob Weir, environmental conservation was a big deal.
- Check in on your friends: Especially with the loss of younger stars like Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, it’s a good reminder that mental health is fragile. A quick text to a friend can go a long way.
The news cycle moves fast. Next week there will be new headlines, but the impact these people had on the world—and on us—doesn't just vanish. It’s okay to take a minute and just acknowledge that the world feels a little different today than it did last week.
To stay updated on memorial services or developing stories regarding these figures, keep an eye on official estate social media accounts or reputable news outlets like Variety and The New York Times, which typically provide the most vetted details on funeral arrangements and tributes.