The deaths of Alan Rickman and David Bowie this week have left pop culture fans in deep mourning. The pair both succumbed to cancer over the last few days, and their fans soon began to lament the disease for taking away these hugely talented individuals way before their time.
But it turns out there is someone that we can all point and blame for the deaths of both Alan Rickman and David Bowie: a certain Aaron Ramsey, who plays soccer for both Arsenal and Wales.
You see, on Saturday Aaron Ramsey scored in the FA Cup third round against Sunderland. Then, just 24 hours later, David Bowie died after an 18-month battle with cancer.
The curse carried on just a few days later when Aaron Ramsey scored again during Arsenal’s 3-3 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. Then, just 14 hours later this time, the Die Hard , Dogma , and Harry Potter actor Alan Rickman died following his own battle win cancer.
But this isn’t the first time that Aaron Ramsey’s goals have been the precursor to a celebrity’s death. In fact, there’s actually quite a lot of precedence for this curse, with the Welsh midfielder’s goals being quickly followed by a shocking celebrity death dating all the way back to 2011.
Aaron Ramsey’s curse continues… @aaronramsey pic.twitter.com/wks0m0w7bs
— Top Corner (@HITCtopcorner) January 14, 2016
The first incidence of this happened when Aaron Ramsey scored on May 1, 2011, against Manchester United, which lead Arsenal to a 1-0 victory. Just a day later, Osama Bin Laden, who it’s believed was actually an Arsenal fan, was killed by United States Navy SEALs in Pakistan.
At this point no one even considered that Aaron Ramsey was about to begin an unprecedented killing spree that he’d know nothing about because of his goals. Surely it was just a coincidence.
Then, on the 5th of October, 2011, Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple who was beloved the world over for his spell-binding technological advances, died. Three days earlier Aaron Ramsey had scored against Tottenham Hotspur in a game that Arsenal ultimately lost 2-1.
This time the curse wouldn’t wait a few months to strike again, because just over 18 days later Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, died in the Battle Of Sirte, dying on October 20, 2011. What had happened just one day before on October 19, 2011? You guessed it, Aaron Ramsey had struck in the UEFA Champions League against Olympique Marseille.
Can these legends be resurrected if @aaronramsey scores own goals in his next game? #RIPAlanRickman #RIPDavidBowie https://t.co/wevU0ROqkK
— Paul DeSousa (@dagodee) January 14, 2016
Aaron Ramsey’s next victim came after he scored in Arsenal’s game away at Sunderland on the 11th of February, 2012. Later that night it was announced that the famous singer Whitney Houston had died. Then, on 30th November, 2013, Paul Walker’s death was superseded by another goal from Aaron Ramsey, this time in a contest against his home-city side Cardiff.
By this point people were beginning to take notice, and any time that the Welsh midfielder scored people soon began to assume that another celebrity would bite the dust. Just over eight months after Paul Walker’s death, Aaron Ramsey struck again for Arsenal against Manchester City. One day later it was announced that Robin Williams had committed suicide.
At this point the curse had started to gain plenty of online attention. But then there was quiet for just under a year and a half, until Aaron Ramsey’s goals for Arsenal over the last few days were then followed by the seismic deaths of David Bowie and Alan Rickman. Basically, whenever he scores next, be afraid. Be very, very afraid.
[Image via Getty/ Paul Gilham & Alan Crowhurst & Jo Hale ]