Dolly Parton and Gloria Steinem recently passed away, creating a wave of grief among their fans and colleagues. Alongside these two, Bob McKee and Tim Curry are also among the famous figures whose absence has evoked many emotions. Tributes to these individuals are quickly shared on social media.
Emotional Impact on Fans
Celebrities often appear on stage and screen, but many people feel they have a closer relationship with them. This type of connection is known as "parasocial relationships" and refers to one-sided emotional connections with public figures. According to psychological studies, when a public figure dies, people collectively mourn.
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Gina Moffa, a grief therapist and author of the book "Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go," states that this collective mourning occurs when a large group of people mourns simultaneously. She says, "This feeling can be experienced even if the individual never knew that person or community." This phenomenon is not limited to the deaths of celebrities, as many people have also shared a collective grief following events like September 11, the Sandy Hook shooting, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parasocial Grief Phenomenon
In today's world, collective mourning overlaps with a phenomenon known as parasocial grief. Olivia Verhulst, a psychotherapist and professor at New York University, explains that this type of grief occurs when a one-sided sense of familiarity with a public figure arises after their death. She elaborates, "Relationships do not need to be reciprocal for feelings to be real." In fact, grief can evoke multiple emotions, including shock and helplessness in individuals.
A small study in 2025 found that parasocial grief can harm mental health and lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as substance abuse. Unlike individual grief, collective grief lacks formal ceremonies, and for this reason, individuals increasingly express their feelings online and engage with others in the comments section.
After Steinem's passing, people expressed their feelings by leaving flowers and cards in front of her home. Additionally, following Parton's death, fans paid tribute at Harry Styles' concert by lighting up their iPhone lights while the song "I Will Always Love You" played. These in-person ceremonies were quickly shared on social media and became public memorials.
Moffa believes that the main difference in collective grief is its "witnessing" aspect, which can lend more credibility than individual grief. She states, "Given that humans are fundamentally designed for connection, this collective sense of loss can be comforting in many ways." Collective grief is not a new idea and has a history spanning several centuries.
Ultimately, working with a therapist, especially in cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be effective. This therapy can provide a safe space to discuss feelings of loss and the lack of personal identification. In fact, a new study in 2026 showed that sharing feelings and holding ceremonies can help alleviate and foster solidarity in shared grief.
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