CLEVELAND - Princess Diana became famous because of who she was married to. In spite of that fact, she became a truly beloved icon on her own merits and was a legitimate ambassador of good will.In my opinion.
Today marks the 12th anniversary of Diana's sudden death following a high-speed car chase and subsequent crash in a tunnel in Paris, France. She and her companion Dodi Al-Fayed were among the four in the Mercedes Benz that was driven by Henri Paul, who floored the car while trying to elude a series of persistent paparazzi. Of the four, only one was wearing a seat belt and that was the lone survivor.
I was never a follower of the Princess, but my reaction was the same as much of the world when the news broke on that late summer day in 1997; utter shock. What I knew most about Diana was that she was relentlessly photographed by the media and of course, the paparazzi who were, in my opinion, complicit in her death. I was also aware of her friendship with the great Michael Jackson, whom she famously urged to perform his 1987 hit single, "Dirty Diana" during the London stop of his "Bad World Tour" in 1988 after he'd initially took the song out of the normal playlist out of respect for her name.
What I later learned about Princess Diana was her incredibly giving heart. She took a genuine interest in people (namely children) afflicted with illnesses and diseases. She was beyond brave when she became one of the first celebrities to touch an AIDS victim when the disease was still a huge mystery. She was a champion and spokesperson for homelessness, drug addicts, and the elderly. She was involved with charities and organizations and devoted major time to trying to better the world. In short, she was a tireless humanitarian.
Forget the glamour, glitz, scandal and celebrity of Diana. Let's give her what she truly deserves for the selfless and thoughtful person she was.
Our everlasting gratitude and respect.
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