By Aaron McKen & Suhana Satish Jhamnani

On August 28th of this year, we saw the passing of a worldwide hero; Chadwick Boseman. He was a man who one could only call passionate, a role model, a good man, a true hero. Chadwick was best known for his roles in Black Panther, Get On Up, Lincoln Heights, and 42.

But he was so much more than just an actor.

 He had a love for theatre from a young age, growing up watching his brother Kevin, who was a dancer and actor, perform. He was also a skilled artist, favouring drawing and sculpting. Included in his menagerie of skills, he was also a competitive basketball player, and wrote multiple plays before finishing University. 

Throughout his career, Chadwick took on the roles of actor, writer, director, and producer. 

He always only chose characters whom he deemed as significant; people who made a difference, and who he was proud to play.

He helped to highlight the lives of impactful black icons such as Jackie Robinson and James Brown. He was everything a great person is; although he was secretive of his personal life, it was known that he greatly opposed stereotypes, and used his renowned fame to advocate for things he believed in, as well as managed to raise millions for charity. 

He often went out of his way to help others.

Visiting and corresponding with kids who suffered from cancer through the years. In 2016, Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer. Despite this, he continued his efforts and did not let his circumstances stop him from furthering his career. He continued to film during and between many surgeries and chemotherapy, all the while not letting anyone know what he was going through. However, over time his cancer progressed to stage IV, and not even him could escape it. At the end of August, Chadwick died in his home, surrounded by his wife and family.

“[Black Panther is about] creating a world that exemplified a world that we wanted to see.”

Chadwick Boseman made the world a better place by just existing; he will continue to live in our memories, immortalized in our hearts and the work he put into the world. He was a role model to so many people, especially black kids, who were able to see themselves in him. As the great Black Panther said, “In my culture, death is not the end. It’s   more of a stepping off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into a green veld where you can run forever.” Chadwick, we hope you run forever.