Lupita Nyong’o has shared a touching tribute on the anniversary of Chadwick Boseman’s death. Boseman passed away in 2020, shocking the world with the news of his private battle with cancer. Over the years, Nyong’o has often discussed her experience with losing a close friend in such an unexpected manner.

The post is a black-and-white image of Boseman. He smiles at the camera and is making a heart with his thumb and forefinger. “Three years ago today, I experienced a singular pain at the news of Chadwick Boseman’s death. The confusion was so profound that it took months to trust the feeling of joy again,” she wrote.

“This is a photo I took on film at the airport as we arrived in South Korea in 2018. We had just learned to do the baby heart with our fingers. Here Chadwick was adding his suave flare 😊. We spent a glorious 72 hours there, and the memory fills me with so much joy.”

“Death is hard to understand, maybe even harder to accept. But the love generated from the life he lived will fuel every anniversary marking his absence. Chadwick may no longer be in our photos, but he will always be in our hearts.”

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Chadwick Boseman’s death

Boseman was diagnosed with cancer four years prior to his death, choosing to battle the disease silently instead of sharing it with the world. He completed his work in the action-driven Marvel films despite undergoing surgeries and chemotherapy, with his family sharing that he “persevered through it all.”

Prior to his death, Boseman had married his long-term girlfriend Taylor Ledward.