Canadian music stars who deceased at age 37
Here are 4 famous musicians from Canada died at 37:
Doug Wickenheiser
Doug Wickenheiser (March 30, 1961 Regina-January 12, 1999 St. Louis) was a Canadian ice hockey player.
He was selected first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft and played for the team for five seasons. Wickenheiser later went on to play for the St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, and New York Rangers. He won a Stanley Cup championship with the Canadiens in 1986. Off the ice, Wickenheiser was known for his charitable efforts, particularly for his work with children's organizations. He passed away at the age of 37 after a battle with cancer. He is remembered as a talented player and a beloved member of the hockey community.
Following his retirement from the NHL in 1991, Doug Wickenheiser became involved in coaching and spent five years coaching the Western Hockey League's Red Deer Rebels. The organization retired his #14 jersey in his honor. Wickenheiser was also inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. He is survived by his wife and three children, one of whom, Hayley Wickenheiser, went on to become a four-time Olympic gold medalist in women's ice hockey for Canada. In 2019, the city of Regina renamed a local sportsplex in honor of both Hayley and Doug Wickenheiser, the Doug and Hayley Wickenheiser Memorial Arena.
Doug Wickenheiser was born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and began playing organized hockey at a young age. He played for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League before being drafted by the Montreal Canadiens. During his time with the Canadiens, Wickenheiser played a key role in the team's 1986 Stanley Cup victory, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 2 of the finals against the Calgary Flames.
After leaving the NHL, Wickenheiser continued to be involved in the sport through coaching and community outreach initiatives. In addition to coaching the Red Deer Rebels, he worked with Hockey Canada to develop youth hockey programs across the country. Wickenheiser's legacy lives on through his daughter Hayley, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest female hockey players of all time.
Beyond his contributions to hockey, Wickenheiser was known for his kindness and generosity towards others. He dedicated much of his time to children's organizations and was beloved by fans, teammates, and opponents alike. His untimely death at the age of 37 was a loss felt deeply throughout the hockey community, and he is remembered as both a talented athlete and a compassionate human being.
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Arturo Gatti
Arturo Gatti (April 15, 1972 Cassino-July 11, 2009 Ipojuca) a.k.a. Thunder was a Canadian professional boxer.
Arturo Gatti started his professional boxing career in 1991 after winning the Canadian Amateur Boxing Championships in 1990. He became a world champion in two different weight classes during his career, winning the IBF junior lightweight title in 1995 and the WBC super lightweight title in 2004. Gatti was known for his exciting fighting style and his ability to come back from early deficits in fights. He was also involved in several memorable fights, including three bouts against Micky Ward which are considered among the greatest in boxing history. After retiring from boxing in 2007, Gatti worked as a boxing promoter. Unfortunately, his life was cut short in 2009 when he was found dead in a Brazilian hotel room. His death was ruled a homicide, but it remains controversial and has been the subject of various investigations and theories. Despite his tragic end, Arturo Gatti is remembered as one of the most thrilling boxers of his generation.
Born in Italy, Arturo Gatti moved to Montreal, Quebec with his family at the age of one. His parents ran a construction business and Gatti grew up working with them before turning to boxing as a teenager. He quickly showed promise in the sport, with a record of 96 wins and 13 losses as an amateur. Gatti's professional career was marked by several notable victories, including two wins over Tracy Harris Patterson and an upset victory over the previously unbeaten Gabriel Ruelas. He also fought and lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2005.
Gatti was known not just for his exciting fighting style, but also for his philanthropy. He established the Gatti Foundation, which raised money to fight poverty and to support disadvantaged children.
Following his death, there was much speculation and controversy around the circumstances of Gatti's murder. Initially, his wife Amanda Rodrigues was charged with the crime, but she was later acquitted. Some have suggested that Gatti was killed by organized crime figures in Brazil, while others have raised questions about the investigation and the evidence presented in the case.
Despite the controversy surrounding his death, Arturo Gatti's legacy as a boxer and philanthropist continues to live on. He was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013, and his fights are still watched and admired by boxing fans around the world. In addition to establishing the Gatti Foundation, he was also known for his generosity towards fellow boxers, often lending them money or helping them find work outside the ring. Arturo Gatti's life and career were cut tragically short, but his impact on the sport of boxing and his community remains enduring.
He died in murder.
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Archibald Lampman
Archibald Lampman (November 17, 1861 Morpeth, Ontario-February 10, 1899 Ottawa) a.k.a. Lampman, Archibald was a Canadian screenwriter. His children are Natalie Charlotte, Arnold Gesner and Archibald Otto.
Archibald Lampman, despite being known as a screenwriter, was actually a renowned Canadian poet known for his nature-inspired works. He was one of the Confederation Poets, a group of Canadian poets who they were British by background, but Canadian by their writing. His most famous works include "At the Long Sault", "Heat", and "The City of the End of Things". Lampman was also a civil servant, working as a clerk in the Post Office Department in Ottawa. He struggled with depression and died at the young age of 37. His contributions to Canadian literature have since been celebrated with numerous awards and honours, including a postage stamp issued by Canada Post in 1961 in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Lampman began writing poetry at a young age, and was greatly influenced by the Canadian landscape and landscape painting. He was also influenced by the Romantic poets, particularly John Keats. He published his first book of poetry, "Among the Millet and Other Poems", in 1888, which was well received by critics. Lampman went on to publish more collections of poetry, including "Lyrics of Earth" (1895) and "Alcyone" (1899), which was published posthumously.
In addition to his poetry, Lampman was also known for his literary criticism, and was a regular contributor to the Canadian Magazine, where he wrote reviews of books and poetry. He was known for his insights into Canadian literature and the development of a Canadian literary tradition.
Lampman's poetry has been admired for its beauty, its sensitivity to the natural world, and its ability to capture the Canadian landscape. His work has been praised for its musicality, and for its ability to evoke emotion and sensuality. Many critics consider him to be one of the most important Canadian poets of the late 19th century, alongside Charles G.D. Roberts and Duncan Campbell Scott.
Today, Lampman is remembered as a significant figure in Canadian literature, and his poetry is still read and studied by scholars and poetry enthusiasts alike. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of Canadian artists and writers.
Lampman's family moved frequently during his childhood, living in several towns in Ontario before settling in Ottawa in 1878. He attended high school in Ottawa and went on to study at Trinity College in Toronto. He eventually returned to Ottawa and began working for the government, where he met his future wife, Maud Playter. The couple married in 1895 and had three children together.
Despite his success as a poet, Lampman struggled with depression throughout his life. His struggles with mental illness likely contributed to the themes of melancholy and introspection that are present in much of his poetry. Lampman died in 1899, at the age of 37, from complications related to a heart condition.
In addition to the numerous awards and honours he has received, Lampman's legacy is memorialized in several ways. His childhood home in Morpeth, Ontario has been turned into a museum in his honour, and the Archibald Lampman Award is presented annually to a Canadian poet who has made a significant contribution to the field. Furthermore, his poetry has been set to music by several composers, and his works have been adapted for the stage and screen.
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George Dixon
George Dixon (July 29, 1870 Halifax Regional Municipality-January 6, 1908 New York City) was a Canadian professional boxer.
He became the first black world boxing champion in 1892, when he defeated Nunc Wallace in a bantamweight title fight. Dixon held the bantamweight title for seven years and defended it 20 times. He was known for his quick and agile footwork, as well as his powerful punches. Dixon was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1955. Despite his success in the ring, Dixon faced racism and discrimination throughout his life. He died at the age of 37 from pneumonia, while touring in the United States.
Despite being born in poverty and facing racial discrimination throughout his career, George Dixon developed an unparalleled talent for boxing. He began his career as a child performing in local boxing matches and went on to become the first black athlete to win a world championship in any sport. Dixon went on several theatrics and acrobatic tours, showing off his boxing skills in front of crowds.
Throughout his career, Dixon fought against some of the greatest fighters of his time, including Jack Skelly and "Terrible" Terry McGovern. He was known for his strategic thinking, speed, and agility in the ring, and his fights were often described as graceful performances.
Outside of the ring, Dixon was known for his generosity and kindness. He was a devoted family man and offered financial help and friendship to other black boxers. Even after his death, Dixon's legacy continued to inspire generations of black athletes who have faced discrimination and hardship.
In addition to his success in boxing, George Dixon was also a trailblazer for black athletes in Canada. He faced racism and discrimination throughout his career and personal life, but he never let it deter him from achieving his goals. Dixon was a vocal advocate for racial equality and used his platform to speak out against discrimination in the boxing world. He also organized exhibitions that featured black athletes to promote inclusivity and diversity.
Despite being a successful athlete and performer, Dixon faced financial difficulties in his later years. He was forced to go on tour to support his family, and his health suffered as a result. In 1907, he contracted pneumonia while on tour in the United States and died the following year at the age of 37.
Dixon's death was a great loss for the boxing community and for those who admired him for his talent and courage. He was posthumously inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001. Today, George Dixon is remembered as an important figure in black sports history and a symbol of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.
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