1. Sage Steele – TV personality

Source:Getty

Sage Steele recently tested positive after she publicly railed against her employer’s (ESPN) coronavirus policy. She said that mandating the vaccine was “sick and scary,” But she did comply once ESPN’s mandate was enforced. After her positive test, Sage was taken off air, Since he has apologized to ESPN for her comments. 

2. Usain Bolt, Olympic gold medalist

It was unclear how Bolt contracted the coronavirus, but CNBC reported that he celebrated his 34th birthday “with a big bash mask-free.” Bolt took the COVID test the day after his party and soon learned he had contracted the respiratory disease. 

“Just to be safe I quarantined myself and just taking it easy,” he said.

3. Gil Bailey, radio pioneer

Rest In Peace Gil Bailey #covid19 has taken another giant. Gil Bailey Radio. pic.twitter.com/tzrOUnAGD9

— The Advocates Corner with Host CP (@ClarkPenaEH) April 14, 2020

Gil Bailey, the radio broadcaster and personality known as “The G0dfather” died April 13, 2020. His death came from complications after contracting the coronavirus, according to Jamaica Observer. The native Jamaican rose to prominence on radio stations with Caribbean music programming in the New York City area.

4. Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta mayor

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5. Herman Cain, former presidential candidate

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Herman Cain died July 30, 2020, at the age of 74 after being hospitalized with the coronavirus. The former presidential candidate, who was once considered by President Donald Trump for the Federal Reserve, was hospitalized in Atlanta on July 1, just two days after testing positive for COVID-19. Less than two weeks before receiving his diagnosis, Cain attended a Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he was surrounded by other attendees, none of whom were wearing a mask or protective gear.

6. Nick Cannon, entertainer

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Entertainer Nick Cannon is COVID-19 positive, according to a Feb. 3, 2021 report by Variety. The 40-year-old host of “The Masked Singer” was reportedly resting at home in quarantine and temporarily stepped down from his post on the show.

7. Ben Carson, former HUD Secretary

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If this picture of Ben Carson and his wife could tell 1,000 words, chances are the first three might be, “wear a mask.”

Carson contracted the coronavirus, officials announced Nov. 9, 2020, a little more than a week after he was seen in this photo at a Trump rally not wearing any personal protective equipment. Again, Carson is a medical doctor.

Carson “is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery,” his spokesperson told ABC News at the time.

Carson, who is also a member of the president’s coronavirus task force, announced his diagnosis after White House chief of staff Mark Meadows tested positive following a campaign event they both attended at the White House on Election Night.

8. Cedric Ceballos, former NBA player

On my 10th day in ICU, COVID-19 is officially kicking my but, I am asking ALL family, friends , prayer warriors healers for your prayers and well wish for my recovery.
If I have done and anything to you in the past , allow me to publicly apologize.
My fight is not done…..
Thx pic.twitter.com/r9QZBpfmEI

— Cedric Ceballos (@cedceballos) September 7, 2021

Former NBA player Cedric Ceballos revealed on Tuesday that he has been in a hospital intensive care unit for 10 days battling COVID-19. The former Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers player asked for prayers, expressed regrets and offered his apology for anything he’s ever done to deserve being stricken with the coronavirus.

He appeared cautiously optimistic by vowing to his followers, “My fight is not done…..”

Ceballos announced on Sept. 13 that he was finally COVID-free, but he was still experiencing serious symptoms that prevented him from doing a number of things on his own, including breathing.

9. Dave Chappelle, comedian

Source:Getty

Comedian Dave Chappelle was among a number of celebrities to contract the coronavirus, a reminder of the pandemic’s harsh effects on Black communities. A spokesperson confirmed his diagnosis with the Associated Press. He is said to have been asymptomatic and rested in isolation.

Since the onset of the coronavirus, Chappelle has held a series of socially distanced comedy shows in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio. In an episode of “My Next Guest,” with David Letterman, Chappelle said the shows have helped revitalize the tightly knit community in a time of great despair. Because of the warmer climate, Chappelle opted to move the shows to Austin, Texas.

During a 2020 November episode of “Saturday Night Live,” where Chappelle served as host, he gave a timely, yet comedic analysis of the virus.

“Do you guys remember what life was like before Covid?” he said. “I do. There was a mass shooting every week. Anyone remember that? Thank God for Covid. Someone had to lock these murderous whites up and keep them in the house.”

A series of comedic appearances at the Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin was canceled for the indefinite future.

10. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman

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New Jersey Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman announced her positive diagnosis on Jan. 11, 2021, days after the attack at the U.S. Capitol. Watson Coleman, a cancer survivor, shared with her followers that she believes she was exposed while members of Congress were barricaded inside the chambers. “Following the events of Wednesday, including sheltering with several colleagues who refused to wear masks, I decided to take a Covid test. I have tested positive,” she tweeted. 

11. Eugene Daniels, journalist

So today is my 11th day since testing positive for COVID-19. And let me tell you — it was HELL. I am fully vaccinated and it knocked me on my ass. I had chills, a scary high fever, night sweats, trouble breathing, extreme exhaustion, and the terrible cough.

— Eugene Daniels (@EugeneDaniels2) September 23, 2021

Eugene Daniels, a White House correspondent for Politico, announced that he has been battling COVID-19 for more than a week and described the symptoms he was experiencing in no uncertain terms. 

12. Jacob Desvarieux, guitarist

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Jacob Desvarieux, a guitarist with the band Kassav’, died July 30 in Guadeloupe, the New York Times reported. He was 77 years old. The reported cause of his death is complications from COVID-19.

Desvarieux is credited for co-creating a musical style called zouk “by fusing Afro-Caribbean traditions of the French Antilles with sleek electronic dance music,” according to the Times.

13. Manu Dibango, musician

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Manu Dibango, the legendary afro-jazz saxophonist from Cameroon known for his 1972 hit, “Soul Makossa,” died March 24, 2020, following complications from the coronavirus. He was 86.

14. Dennis Dickson, NYPD employee

#COVID19 #covidheroes #NYPD announces first employee death due to coronavirus

RIP, Dennis Dickson pic.twitter.com/D10Do2p7oJ

— Sabrina McDaniel (@Sabrina_McDa) March 27, 2020

Dennis Dickson may not be a household name, but the longtime NYPD employee’s death is notable because he was one of a growing number of people working at the New York Police Department who tested positive for the coronavirus. Dickson, who died March 26, 2020, at the age of 62, worked for the NYPD for 14 years at headquarters. That means he could have been exposed to other members of the force.

15. Kevin Durant, NBA star

Source:Getty

Kevin Durant was one of four players for the Brooklyn Nets who tested positive for the coronavirus that has also infected members of other NBA teams. The other players on the Nets who tested positive have not been identified. “Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine,” Durant told The Athletic in an interview. “We’re going to get through this.”

16. Larry Edgeworth

Prayers to the family of NBC’s Larry Edgeworth and my former colleagues at 30 Rock. He died after testing positive for #coronavirus. Larry would always offer to help me …even after I moved to CBS. He just wanted to see another brother win. #IAmMyBrothersKeeper Rest pic.twitter.com/TyXbiHs30d

— DeMarco Morgan (@DeMarcoReports) March 20, 2020

Larry Edgeworth, who worked for the TV network as an audio technician for 25 years, died March 19, 2020, of complications after contracting the coronavirus. He was 61 years old. He reportedly had an existing health condition that likely exacerbated the coronavirus symptoms that led to his death.

17. Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds

Source:Getty

The world-renowned music producer announced that he and his family all tested positive for the coronavirus but survived it and beat the respiratory illness that has killed thousands of people. He made the announcement via Instagram and admitted the ordeal was “an incredibly scary thing to go through.”

18. Idris and Sabrina Dhowre Elba

This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I’m doing No panic. pic.twitter.com/Lg7HVMZglZ

— Idris Elba (@idriselba) March 16, 2020

After actor Idris Elba announced on March 16, 2020, that he had contracted the coronavirus. His wife, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, made her own announcement days later. Her disclosure prompted discussion over whether it was right to quarantine with her husband or if the two should’ve practiced social distancing.

19. Patrick Ewing, basketball legend

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Patrick Ewing, the head coach of Georgetown University’s men’s basketball team and NBA legend, has tested positive for the coronavirus. The New York Knicks’ all-time leading scorer tweeted the announcement on May 22, 2020.

“I want to share that I have tested positive for COVID-19,” the tweet said in part. “This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly. I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones.”

It was unclear how Ewing contracted the disease that has disproportionately affected Black people.

20. Ronald Fenty, Rihanna’s dad

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Ronald Fenty, the father of superstar singer Rihanna, counted himself as one of the lucky survivors of the coronavirus. In 2020, he told the Sun about the unenviable experience he went through for about two weeks before he was able to recover. Rihanna, who paid for and sent dozens of ventilators to her native island Barbados, also sent one to her 66-year-old dad.

21. Vivica A. Fox, actress

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Vivica A. Fox announced on Sept. 20, 2020, that she had tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of her hosting duties for the E! network’s live coverage of the red-carpet pre-Emmy Awards show. Fox’s co-hostess, Giuliana Rancic, also announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19. It was unclear if their cases were related.

“I am terribly sorry I cannot be with my E! family tonight!” the 56-year-old actress said in a statement. “Unfortunately, I have tested positive for coronavirus. So, in an abundance of caution, I am isolating myself at home.”

22. Cori “Coco” Gauff, tennis star

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Cori “Coco” Gauff, a teenage professional tennis phenom, on July 18, 2021, became the most recent public figure to have contracted COVID-19. The 17-year-old who is fresh off of competing in Wimbledon said her diagnosis will prevent her from playing in the upcoming Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. It would have been the neophyte’s first Olympic Games.

“I am so disappointed to share the news that I have tested positive for COVID and won’t be able to play in the Olympic Games in Tokyo,” Gauff, who made history as a 15-year-old when she beat Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019, wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday afternoon. “I want to wish Team USA best of luck and a safe games for every Olympian and the entire Olympic family.”

23. Jimmy Glenn, legendary boxing trainer

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Jimmy Glenn, the legendary boxing trainer who worked with some of the sport’s top fighters, died following complications from the coronavirus. He was 89 years old. Glenn had become a celebrated bar owner in New York City’s Times Square called Jimmy’s Corner. The Boxing Scene website reported Glenn’s death first.

24. Rudy Gobert

Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz was the first NBA player revealed to have tested positive for COVID-19. He initially was called out for not taking coronavirus warnings seriously, considering he did things like touch the surfaces of microphones during a press conference to joke about the situation. The state health department cleared Gobert on March 27, 2020, after he completed a period of self-quarantining.

25. Louis Gossett Jr., actor, philanthropist

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The legendary actor Louis Gossett Jr. was diagnosed with COVID-19 but left a local Georgia hospital out of fear, according to a report from TMZ. Gossett, then-84, was recovering at home under the care of his son. He told TMZ, “Please wear masks, social distance, isolate, pray and listen within. We cannot survive without one another.”

26. Lee Green, former college hoops star

It is with much sadness to inform all in my SJU family that we lost Lee Green to Covid-19 today. A Parade All-American who played 3 years at #SJUBB Lee was our warrior on those teams. A true lock em up defender that relished shutting down the best opponents. RIP Lee #gone2soon pic.twitter.com/X4TIPbVvoU

— Ron Linfonte (@SJU5) March 24, 2020

Lee Green’s name is not known widely, but the former college basketball star for St. John’s University is notable here because of his death on March 23, 2020, at the relatively young age of 49 following complications from the coronavirus. His age was especially important as it upends the narrative that older and elderly people were the ones dying from the respiratory illness.

27. Charles Gregory, Tyler Perry’s makeup artrist

“Mr. Charles Gregory was a hairstylist that had worked with” Tyler Perry “for many years” before he died April 8, 2020, after he “lost his battle with COVID-19,” the filmmaker wrote on Instagram.

28. Lewis Hamilton, Formula One driver

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The seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton tested positive for the coronavirus on Nov. 30, 2020, and announced he would sit out the upcoming Sakhir Grand Prix. Hamilton was tested three times in the week prior, all of which resulted in negative results. He isolated, complying with the COVID-19 health protocols in Bahrain.

29. Samuel Hargress Jr., owner of legendary Harlem nightclub

Thank You for your friendship Sam! #RIP Harlem’s Paris Blues Jazz Club has been a celebrated local music joint since 1969, playing live jazz and blues nightly. It’s owner and manager, Mr. Samuel Hargress Jr., has been in the club nearly every day for the past 51 years. pic.twitter.com/oSM9Cbzzdb

— B Michael (@bmichaelAmerica) April 15, 2020

Samuel Hargress Jr., the owner and operator of legendary New York City jazz and blues nightclub, Paris Blues, died following complications after testing positive for COVID-19. He was 83 years old. Hargress opened the club in 1969 and ran it for 51 years. The Harlem Bespoke blog reported his death.

30. Conan Harris, Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s husband

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Rep. Ayanna Pressley‘s husband Conan Harris tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 12, 2021, days after he was placed in lockdown with his wife during the mob attack on Capitol Hill last week. Harris is one of several people infected inside the Capitol due to members of Congress who refused to wear masks.

31. Antoine Hodge, opera singer

Source:GoFundMe

Antoine Hodge, a respected and celebrated opera singer, died from COVID-19 on Feb. 22. He was 38-years-old. Hodge recently appeared in the Metropolitan Opera’s 2019 production of “Porgy and Bess.”

“My brother had opera singers’ lungs, and COVID destroyed them,” his sister told The New York Times. His family initially set up a GoFundMe to raise money for his treatment, however, the page is still open for donations.

32. Mike Huckaby, techno music pioneer and DJ

R.I.P Mike Huckaby. You will forever continue to change so many peoples lives with your music, technique and mentoring. These clips of Huck are from ‘Detroit The Blueprint Of Techno’ pic.twitter.com/8t8c83Uy2K

— Dark Entries Records (@darkentriesrecs) April 25, 2020

“DJ Mike Huckaby, whose soulful, studied work made him one of the prominent early figures in Detroit techno and house music, died [April 24, 2020] after a lengthy hospitalization following a stroke,” the Detroit Free press reported. Huckaby tested positive for the coronavirus while he was hospitalized. He was 54 years old.

33. Callum Hudson-Odoi

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Callum Hudson-Odoi, a professional soccer player in the Premier League with the Chelsea football club, was diagnosed with the coronavirus. He made the announcement on March 12, 2020. He is just 19 years old.

34. DL Hughley, comedian

#ThankYouForYourPrayers #TeamDL pic.twitter.com/dSQiNtsgMr

— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) June 21, 2020

Hughley thanked his supporters for their prayers after his diagnosis in 2020. “It turns out they ran a battery of tests and I also tested positive for covid-19,” he wrote on social media. He said it “blew me away” and that he was asymptomatic – no flu-like symptoms – not shortness of breath, no cough, no fever, still doesn’t have one – no loss or smell of taste – “apparently, I just lost consciousness.” Hughley later quarantined for 14 days.

35. Ahmed Ismail Hussein, Somali singer

BREAKING: One of Somalia’s greatest artists has died in London after contracting Corona Virus. Ahmed Ismail Hussein “Hudeydi” known as the “King of Oud” has been in hospital for four days. He was 92. pic.twitter.com/iCii8vYVVv

— Harun Maruf (@HarunMaruf) April 8, 2020

Ahmed Ismail Hussein, the legendary Somali singer and musician who was also popularly known as “Hudeydi,” was hospitalized in the UK after contracting the coronavirus. Nicknamed the “King of Oud,” a reference to the Arabic instrument resembling a guitar, died in a London hospital. His date of death was not immediately reported, but it was announced April 8, 2020.

36. Jesse and Jacqueline Jackson

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Civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife, Jacqueline, have been hospitalized after both tested positive for COVID-19. Both are fully vaccinated but became infected likely because of the exponentially contagious delta variant that is spreading around the globe quickly, often with similar “breakthrough” cases.

37. Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, former White House butler

Tonight on @fox5dc at 10p –
He served at the pleasure of 11 U.S. Presidents… during his 55 years at the White House.
Last weekend, he passed from COVID-19.
My exclusive interview with the granddaughter of White House butler, Wilson Jerman is next! pic.twitter.com/SBiXbQLiud

— Shawn Yancy (@ShawnYancyTV) May 20, 2020

Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, a former longtime butler who worked in the White House, died in May 2020 following complications from the coronavirus. He was 91 years old. Jerman served 11 presidents, including Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black commander-in-chief. Fox News reported that “Jerman worked at the White House from 1957 to 2012 as a cleaner, a doorman, and butler.”

38. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, actor

Actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced on an Instagram video that he and his family had overcome the coronavirus after testing positive at an undisclosed date.

“I can tell you that this has been one of the most challenging and difficult things we have ever had to endure as a family, and for me personally too,” he said in part of the video. “And I’ve gone through some doozies in the past. I’ve gotten knocked about and gotten my ass kicked a little bit, but testing positive for COVID-19 is much different than overcoming nasty injuries or being evicted or even being broke.”

He encouraged people to wear masks so they don’t meet the same fate that he and his family did. His daughters were 2- and 4-years-old at the time.

39. Paul Johnson, house music DJ

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Paul Johnson, a pioneering house music star DJ whose releases made him a legend in his hometown of Chicago, died Wednesday (Aug. 4) at the age of 50. His cause of death was reported as complications from COVID-19.

Johnson’s death was announced via his Facebook page and accompanied by a video of Johnson speaking.

“Our greatness passed away this morning at 9am the house music legend we all know as PJ aka PAUL JOHNSON has passed away in this day of AUGUST 4th 2021,” the Facebook post said. “Rest In Heaven Paul.”

Johnson was remembered in superlative terms as news of his death spread across social media.

DJ Mag called Johnson “One of the most essential house musicians of all time.”

40. Jim Jones, rapper

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Rapper Jim Jones is cautioning people to protect themselves from COVID-19 after the Harlem native said in a video posted to his Instagram account that he was recovering from the illness.

Jones accompanied the Instagram post with a caption announcing that he has since tested negative. He warned people to “mask up” and compared COVID-19 to a “stray bullet” that “don’t care who it hits.”

However, he fell short of calling on his nearly 3 million Instagram followers to get vaccinated.

41. Brad “Scarface” Jordan

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The rapper more popularly known as Scarface from the legendary Geto Boys announced on March 26, 2020, that he tested positive for the coronavirus. The 49-year-old Houstonian had reportedly been suffering from symptoms for weeks before he got confirmation of his condition.

42. DeAndre Jordan, NBA star

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DeAndre Jordan tweeted on June 29, 2020, that he tested positive for COVID-19, which will prevent him from participating in the continuation of the NBA’s 2019-20 season that was suspended because f the coronavirus. Jordan is among multiple other NBA players who have tested positive for the respiratory disease that has caused a global pandemic and abruptly ended major sporting competitions.

43. Tim Lester, NFL star

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Tim Lester, a former NFL star who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams, and Dallas Cowboys, died on Jan. 12, 2021, from COVID-19 complications. He was 52.

44. James Mahoney, pulmonologist

Dr. James Mahoney at University Hospital of Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/SXBxNlzApr

— Lieutenant Kijé (@BrianLemaire2) May 19, 2020

Dr. James Mahoney, a pulmonologist who delayed his retirement in order to help his colleagues fight the coronavirus, died after contracting COVID-19. Mahoney died April 27, 2020, at the age of 62 following a 40-year career in medicine. The New York Times reported that Mahoney “had spent his whole career at a poorly financed public hospital” and “went to extraordinary lengths to help patients.”

45. Ellis Marsalis Jr., musician

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The legendary jazz musician died in April 2020 following complications from the coronavirus. He was 85 years old.

46. DeRay McKesson, activist

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Civil rights activist DeRay McKesson announced on April 16, 2020, that “just tested positive for COVID-19.” He went on to tweet that he experienced some of the respiratory illnesses’ milder symptoms and added that doctors told him to expect a full recovery.

47. Von Miller, NFL star

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It was announced on April 16, 2020, that NFL star Von Miller had contracted the coronavirus. NFL Network reporter Ian Rappaport tweeted that Miller was “at home resting and in good spirits.”

48. Nicki Minaj

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Rapper Nicki Minaj announced on Twitter that she tested positive for COVID-19. She said it happened ahead of the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, where she had been scheduled to perform but canceled abruptly days before. Now, it appears we have our reason why.

“I was prepping for vmas then i shot a video & guess who got COVID?” Minaj tweeted.

E! reported that Minaj also canceled her appearance at Monday night’s MET Gala because of the requirement for vaccinated guests, prompting speculation about whether the rapper was an anti-vaxxer.

She added in the same tweet that her fellow rapper Drake “got covid w|THE VACCINE,” suggesting she was skeptical of its effectiveness.

Minaj would go on to share a number of controversial opinions about both COVID-19 and the vaccine using rhetoric that endeared her to right-wing conservatives who have similarly spread mistruths and lies about the pandemic.

49. Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell is another member of the Utah Jazz who tested positive. The 23-year-old NBA All Star announced that he was participating in a challenge called #StayHomeFor to encourage people to socially distance and stay at home as the coronavirus continues to spread. The state health department cleared Mitchell on March 27, 2020, after he completed a period of self-quarantining.

50. Wisconsin Rep. Rep. Gwen Moore

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Moore tweeted on Dec. 28,, 2020, that she tested positive for the coronavirus. The 69-year-old Wisconsinite did not announce how she contracted it and suggested she was experiencing mild symptoms, if any at all, and vowed that her work on Capitol Hill would not be interrupted. 

“I encourage every person to continue taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by wearing a mask, washing your hands, and practicing social distancing,” Moore tweeted.

51. Lloyd Porter, small business owner in Brooklyn

Devastated to hear Lloyd Porter has pass away from covid19. Lloyd was a pillar in Brooklyn. His coffee shop Breadstuy is where I met some of my closest friends. He sometimes hired people with records that couldn’t easily find work. He believed in community. Rest well Brother
pic.twitter.com/t5Ai3iASt8

— Blitz Bazawule (@BlitzAmbassador) May 7, 2020

Lloyd Porter, who owned and operated the famed Bread Stuy bakery in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, has died after he tested positive for the coronavirus. 

52. Charley Pride, country music legend

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Charley Pride went from growing up picking cotton in Mississippi to playing professional baseball in the Negro League to getting drafted in the Army to going back to baseball to finally signing a recording contract in Nashville on his way to becoming the first major country music star who is Black. It was a remarkable rise to fame that ended Dec. 12, 2020,  after he succumbed to the deadly coronavirus. Pride was 86 years old.

53. Biden Adviser, Rep. Cedric Richmond

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Rep. Cedric Richmond, a Democrat who represents Louisiana, tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 16, 2020. Richmond is also an adviser who will serve as director of the Office of Public Engagement. Biden tested negative after being made aware of Richmond’s diagnosis. 

54. Arnie Robinson Jr., Olympian

Arnie Robinson Jr., who won the gold medal in the long jump at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, died on Dec. 2 at his home in San Diego. He was 72. https://t.co/lYnpSbWkzO

— NYT Sports (@NYTSports) December 16, 2020

Olympic gold medalist Arnie Robinson Jr., died from COVID-19 on Dec. 2, 2020, at the age of 72. He is known as one of the greatest long jumpers in the world, securing the gold at the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal. He leaped 27 feet and 4¾ inches on the first jump of the competition.

Over his career he won seven national titles and was the world’s top-ranked long jumper from 1976-1979. He retired from his profession in 1979 and took up coaching at San Diego Mesa College in 1982, where taught for 28 years after retiring from teaching in 2010.

55. Chris Rock, actor and comedian

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Comedy icon and actor Chris Rock announced Sunday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 despite his fully vaccinated status. It was considered a “breakthrough” case.

Rock urged people to take the pandemic and that COVID-19 vaccine seriously.

“Hey guys I just found out I have COVID, trust me you don’t want this,” Rock tweeted. “Get vaccinated.”

56. Wallace Roney

Source:Getty

Wallace Roney, a Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter who was associated with and influenced by the legendary Miles Davis, died on March 31, 2020. His death was caused by complications after he contracted the coronavirus. He was just 59 years old. Pictured: Wallace Roney plays trumpet with his orchestra during a performance in the 22nd Annual Charlie Parker Jazz Festival at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, New York, New York, Aug. 23, 2014. The orchestra played a composition by Wayne Shorter written for, but not performed by, Miles Davis.

57. Marcus Smart

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart also tested positive for COVID-19. The 26-year-old posted a video on Instagram revealing the news and he encouraged everyone to practice social distancing.

58. Shaka Smart, University Of Texas Men’s Basketball Coach

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Men’s college basketball coach Shaka Smart announced on Jan. 25, 2020, that he tested positive for the coronavirus. Smart tweeted the news as his University of Texas Longhorns team were enjoying major success this season.

Smart tweeted that he was “in isolation away from our team and family” and “working remotely.” He is expected to rejoin the team “when it is safe to do so.”

Smart’s announcement came about an hour after the latest college rankings showed his team was in the top 5.

59. Troy Sneed, gospel singer

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Gospel singer Troy Sneed died April 27, 2020 following complications from contracting the coronavirus. He was just 54 years old.

60. Oliver “DJ Black N Mild” Stokes Jr.

New Orleans bounce DJ and radio personality Black N Mild has died after testing positive for coronavirus. For the past 25 years, he also deejayed at countless clubs, parties and other private events across the southeast. pic.twitter.com/2e6mnKhiXQ

— Eric Alper (@ThatEricAlper) March 21, 2020

New Orleans radio personality Oliver Stokes Jr. who went by the name of DJ Black N Mild died March 19, 2020 one day after he tested positive for the coronavirus. He was 44 years old.

61. Michael Strahan, ‘Good Morning America’ host, former NFL star

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“Good Morning America” host and former NFL star Michael Strahan tested positive for COVID-19. Strahan’s co-hosts Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos and Amy Robach confirmed the news on the air on Jan. 28, 2021 while acknowledging Strahan’s absence in previous days. They said he was doing “well” and was quarantined until he received a negative diagnosis.

62. Carole Sutton, actress

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Actress Carol Sutton, whose performances in the TV series “Queen Sugar” and the movie “Steel Magnolias” earned her high praise, has died. Sutton was 76 years old. Her cause of death on Dec. 10, 2020 was reported as Covid-19.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell remembered Sutton as “the Queen of New Orleans theater” in a moving statement issued Dec. 13, when the death was officially announced.

63. Chucky Thompson, music producer, 53

Source:Getty

Chucky Thompson, an award-winning music producer who spawned chart-topping hits with some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B, was found dead, according to NewsOne’s sister site HipHopWired. He was 53 years old.

Fellow producer Young Guru, who called Thomason his “mentor,” announced the death via his Instagram on Monday afternoon. Young Guru did not disclose Thomason’s cause of death. But AllHipHop.com reported that Thompson died following a battle with COVID-19.

“This one hurts so bad I can even explain it,” Young Guru wrote in part.

64. Jeffrey “DJ Jazzy Jeff” Townes

Hip-hop pioneer DJ Jazzy Jeff had hinted that he was suffering from the coronavirus weeks before he confirmed it on the “Tamron Hall Show” on April 14, 2020. He detailed his experience to the hostess and said he first started feeling symptoms in late March after attending a ski event in Idaho. 

65. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach

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NFL head coach Mike Tomlin contracted COVID-19. Tomlin, 48, was one of multiple members of the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff to test positive for the virus, ESPN reported.

Without acknowledging the reports that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, Tomlin tweeted a statement on Feb. 22 thanking people for wishing him well.

“I want to thank everyone who reached out to express their concerns for my health,” Tomlin began his statement before adding later: “I’ll be back in the office soon.”

66. Karl-Anthony Towns, NBA star

Source:Getty

After suffering the devastating loss of his mother from COVID-19 in 2020, NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns announced he tested positive on Jan. 15, 2021.

“Prior to tonight’s game, I received yet another awful call that I tested positive for COVID. I will immediately isolate and follow every protocol,” the 25-year-old Minnesota Timberwolves center shared on Twitter.

“I pray every day that this nightmare of a virus will subside and I beg everyone to continue to take it seriously by taking all of the necessary precautions. We cannot stop the spread of this virus alone, it must be a group effort by all of us,” he added.

67. Jo Thompson, singer

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Jo Thompson, who was once hailed as the “piano-playing Lena Horne,” died from COVID-19 complications on March 9, 2021. She was 92. Thompson, a Detroit native, travelled all around the world with her gifts and was known as a barrier-breaking artist in a time where Black artists were still fighting for liberation in America.

68. Karl-Anthony Towns’ parents, Jacqueline Cruz and Karl-Anthony Towns Sr.

Enjoyed chatting with the proud parents of @KarlTowns down here in Florida. Awesome people. pic.twitter.com/xg9v2Hpazz

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) February 5, 2017

NBA All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns revealed on March 24, 2o020 that his mother had tested positive for the coronavirus days before it was reported on March 26 that his father was suffering from the same illness. His mother, Jacqueline Cruz, was placed in a medically-induced coma and on a ventilator. She died on April 13. His father, Karl Sr., was reportedly recovering after being quarantined.

69. Juan Williams, Fox News Host

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Fox News host Juan Williams was diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020. Williams 66, serves as the liberal leaning voice on the conservative networks daily show “The Five.” On Nov. 18 Williams left for vacation and returned to Fox News studios on Monday, where he was tested and received a negative result. On Wednesday he returned to “The Five.”

In a statement obtained by The New York Times, the network said the show would tape from home “for the foreseeable future.”

70. Wendy Williams, talk show host

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Popular daytime talk show host Wendy Williams had tested positive for COVID-19.

The Instagram account for “The Wendy Williams Show” called it a “breakthrough case,” meaning that Williams is fully vaccinated and still contracted the highly contagious virus. Luckily, she was reportedly asymptomatic and did not immediately exhibit any real symptoms.

71. Randall Woodfin, Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama

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Randall Woodfin, Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, was hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia. The 39-year-old first-term mayor was admitted to the hospital on the night of Jan. 4, 2021. The City of Birmingham tweeted the news and said Woodfin “is receiving excellent care” and “remains in good spirits and thanks everyone for their well wishes.”

AL.com reported that Woodfin had been experiencing mild symptoms and was self-quarantined until his hospitalization.

The former school board member and city prosecutor was elected the city’s youngest mayor in 2017.

72. Zumbi, rapper

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Rapper Zumbi of the hip-hop group Zion I recently died at the age of 49.

A family statement released to California news outlet KQED said Steve “Zumbi” Gaines died Friday (Aug. 13) in a hospital of “unknown causes.”

However, a Los Angeles-based Los Angeles hip-hop collective called Project Blowed said in an Instagram post that Zumbi died as he was “recovering from COVID-19” due to a “severe asthma attack.” KQED attributed Project Blowed’s statement to True Justice, a DJ who accompanied Zion I while on tour.