So 2016 simply could not yield the passing of the year without claiming yet another cultural icon who inspired millions of people around the world.
Carrie Fisher, the actress propelled almost overnight to stardom in the late 1970s for the role she played as Princess Leia Organa in the Star Wars saga, died at 60 years of age last Tuesday days after suffering from a heart attack. The news shocked fans everywhere, and many of them quickly took to social media posting messages mourning her loss while celebrating her life.
Of course there was far more to the actress than the role that made her famous and drastically altered the course of her future.
Fisher's personal life was one wrought with inner struggles against depression and drug abuse. But she never made any attempt to bury those problems, and rather faced them head-on, speaking candidly over the years about addiction and mental illness.
Such openness in a society that still largely struggles with negative stigmatizing stereotypes about people who suffer from such problems was nothing less than admirable and exemplary.
No compassionate person would have condemned her for taking every measure possible to keep those personal details of her life private ó as is not uncommon for the rich and famous to do. Yet Fisher nevertheless seemed to understand the importance of speaking to the wider public in the knowledge she was not alone in enduring the trials and tribulations of substance abuse and bipolar disorder.
"At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so if you're living with this illness and functioning at all, it's something to be proud of, not ashamed of," she wrote in her 2008 memoir Wishful Drinking.
A CBS article by Mary Brophy Marcus said, "The world lost more than a smart, funny, beloved actress and writer when Carrie Fisher died (last) Tuesday ó it also lost a powerful advocate for mental health."
As a fan of the Star Wars franchise myself, I was among the millions of people saddened to hear of her sudden death at such a relatively young age, by today's standards.
But at least her legacy will live on not only in film and print but also through her numerous efforts to raise awareness and support for the many people who continue to struggle through experiences similar to her own.
At least there is some solace to be found in that.
Those who admired her strength as a source of inspiration in coping with their own issues might remember words of advice she offered during a 2013 interview with Sarasota's Herald Tribune.
"You don't have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow."
