“Leroy” is dead
Gene Anthony Ray, who played Leroy in the movie and tv series Fame, has died at the age of 41. He was only three years older than I am. I only watched the tv series for the first season, I think (then I went off to college and didn’t watch much tv any more), but I really loved the movie. And of course, “Leroy” was part of what made it great.
Blimey! – I know it’s very selfish, but when you hear things like this the first thing you think is “that’s the same age as me!”…
Actually, it’s worse because I am 42! (43 at Christmas)…
Isn’t it terrible how we sometimes equate loss…In valuating it’s impact on our lives. Sometimes we get so caught up in ourselves you have to fight through to get at the fact that it’s a person who had a life that is now over…Experiences and effects lost.
..>Sorry – I’m getting a bit morbid perhaps. But I think of the wee things a person does in a day, and then suddenly they won’t be able to do those things any more…
Open the curtains in the morning and see in the day…See someone nice and have a smile to theirself…Pick up something that belongs to a partner and feel all warm and slushy…Get a moment alone at lunch when you can hear yourself think…Make toast…
Oh, a bizzilion things…But most of all when I hear someone has died I think “there’s someone else I won’t meet and be able to have a chat with”…
It’s a completely natural reaction. And when it’s someone close to your age, that you had known of since high school… then it hits closer, even if you don’t know the person. That whole “mortality becoming real” thing.
I REALLY ENJOYED THE SHOW FAME, I WHICH THEY WILL SHOW THE RE-RUNS.
IT’S VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT LEROY’S GONE, EVEN THOUGH, I NEVER TALKED TO HIM OR NEVER SAW HIM IN PERSON,I’VE WATCH EVERY EPISOLE OF FAME, SO IT WAS A CLOSENESS THERE.