Famous People Who Died in May 2026
10 notable deaths · Average age 80
In May 2026, the world lost Ted Turner (87), Sonny Rollins (95) and Kyle Busch (41), along with 7 other well-known figures. Below is every notable death this month in date order, with ages and causes where they were made public. For perspective, around 5,266,000 people died worldwide over the same 31 days, which you can watch happening on the live death counter.
Total
10
Youngest
41
Kyle Busch
Oldest
95
Sonny Rollins
Every notable death in May 2026
1 May
59
Alex Zanardi
Racing driver and Paralympic champion
Sports
2 May
94
Doris F. Fisher
Co-founder of Gap Inc.
Business & Industry
6 May
87
Ted Turner
Founder of CNN and Turner Broadcasting System
World Leaders & Politicians
9 May
84
Bobby Cox
Baseball Hall of Fame manager: Atlanta Braves
Sports
15 May
92
Edmund Phelps
Nobel Prize in Economics (2006): inflation and unemployment trade-offs
Science & Academia
19 May
86
Barney Frank
U.S. Congressman, co-author of the Dodd-Frank Act
World Leaders & Politicians · Heart failure
21 May
41
Kyle Busch
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion
Sports · Complications from pneumonia and sepsis
25 May
95
Sonny Rollins
Jazz saxophone legend: Saxophone Colossus
Musicians
25 May
93
Raymond Berry
NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver: Baltimore Colts
Sports
25 May
65
Neale Daniher
AFL coach and motor neurone disease advocate
Sports · Motor neurone disease
Frequently asked questions
Who died in May 2026?
10 well-known people died in May 2026, including Ted Turner (87), Sonny Rollins (95) and Kyle Busch (41). The full list is above in date order.
Who was the youngest famous person to die in May 2026?
Kyle Busch, aged 41, was the youngest on our May list. Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.
What did famous people die of in May 2026?
Where a cause was made public, the most common was heart disease or stroke (1 of 10). No cause was announced for 7. Families often keep the cause private, and we only list causes reported by reliable sources.