It’s always sad when people pass away, especially exceptionally talented people who leave this earth at a young age. Whether it’s from illnesses, accidents, or cold-blooded murder, these 10 actors and actresses’ deaths were shocking because they were very unexpected. Here’s a shout out to those who we enjoyed for their great roles who left us way too soon.

Michelle Thomas, aka, Myra from “Family Matters”

I used to love everything about “Family Matters,” especially during the much lauded Steve Urkel years. And when you think of Steve Urkel, not only do you think of his love Laura Winslow, but you have to think of his character’s past steady girlfriend, Myra Monkhouse. Played by Michelle Thomas, Myra was a bubbly but nice character, who could, under jealous circumstances, get a little feisty. She was in the role of Myra from ’93 to ’98. In real life, Thomas died unexpectedly in 1998. Just a year earlier the actress was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer, and she went on to undergo surgery twice for tumors. In the end, Thomas died in December of 1998 surrounded by friends and family in the hospital. She was only 29.

celebsecrets4u.com

We’ve watched a lot child actors grow up right before our eyes (some make us realize just how old we are, lol) blossoming into beautiful young men and women.  Let’s check out a few that we don’t get too see too often.

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The late comedian's wife and daughter holding signs for the street. Source: chicagotribune.com

When comedian Bernie Mac passed away in 2008 at the age of 50 from pneumonia complications after suffering from the disease sarcoidosis, I’m pretty sure everyone was shocked at a passing that seemed so unexpected. He made people laugh both on the comedy stage and on television with the hilarious program, The Bernie Mac Show, and somebody recognized all of his contributions, because now the late comic has his own street on the South Side of Chicago. You can find Bernie Mac Street on West 69th and South Sangamon street in the Englewood neighborhood, which is not too far from where he grew up. The idea came from his publicist last year, and as of yesterday, her idea for her late client and friend finally came to fruition. According to The Chicago Tribune, Mac’s daughter hopes that naming the street after her father will encourage those in the community to know they can do bigger and better things: “I hope this street naming is a beacon of light in this community,” Mac’s daughter said. “It should remind people that they can do whatever they want to do in life.” Let’s hope so!

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Bernie Mac’s death came as such a surprise in 2009, that sometimes it’s hard to believe he’s gone. The prevalence and availability of his stand up routines, re-runs of his television show and repeat showings of his Hollywood roles, keep his memory very much alive for those of us who were fans of the late comedian.

Now, a documentary will explore the sides of Bernie Mac we, the public, might not have known about, like the affect he had on his fellow comedians, costars, friends and family members.

The documentary, ”I Ain’t Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac,” will air on Comedy Central February 19 and be able for purchase on February 21.

You can watch a trailer of the documentary below:

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When King of Comedy, Bernie Mac, died in the summer of 2008 little was known about his serious medical condition. The comedian/actor suffered with sarcoidosis for years, until he tragically died of complications from pneumonia. After examining Mac’s case, his widow Rhonda McCullough has filed a suit against Mac’s longtime doctor, accusing him of negligence in failing to properly treat the star in the weeks before he passed away.

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