Santa Monica this morning turned into a fiery hell, where a legendary TV star left the world. Just 45 minutes ago, the private plane carrying Ellen DeGeneres crashed into the sea less than 2 kilometers from shore. A loud explosion ripped through the morning mist, a fireball erupted in the middle of the water. Thick black smoke billowed hundreds of meters high, terrifying people on the beach.
A witness walking on the beach recounted: “I heard an unusual roar of the engine, then a loud explosion like a bomb. When I looked out to sea, all that was left was fire and smoke, debris flying everywhere.” Another person trembled and said: “We saw an object hit the water, then the explosion lit up the sky.” Paparazzi who happened to be following Ellen’s schedule captured the tragic moment: the lens shook violently, the flash of light pierced the hazy smoke, and the loud cries from fans who witnessed it firsthand.
Immediately, the Coast Guard and rescue helicopters rushed in. The siren wailed, the ambulance ship at sea cut through the waves and rushed into the center of the fire. Paramedics in fireproof suits jumped into the water, struggling with the flames from the spilled oil. When they opened the charred cabin, they found Ellen DeGeneres’s motionless body. She was carried onto a floating stretcher, her face covered in smoke, her hair soaked, her body no longer responsive. Paramedics immediately put on an oxygen mask and performed CPR on the deck. The heart rate counter rang out in a frantic manner, but the portable monitor screen only showed a cold straight line.
Ellen’s body was transferred to UCLA Hospital. The ICU was lit up, the doctors were doing their best: continuous electric shocks, adrenaline injected directly into the heart, red alarm beeps rang out in a frantic manner. But all was in vain. The official report was given: “Ellen DeGeneres died at the scene due to multiple organ injuries and severe burns.”
The news spread quickly around the world. On social media, the hashtags #PrayForEllen and #GoodbyeEllen rose to the top trending in just 10 minutes. Fellow entertainers expressed their condolences: Oprah Winfrey wrote, “I lost a friend, the world lost a smile,” Michelle Obama posted, “Ellen lit up the hearts of millions,” and the US President said, “The whole country is grieving, Ellen was a symbol of kindness and laughter.”
Thousands of fans flocked to Santa Monica Beach that night, holding candles and white flowers. The sea of people sang “What a Wonderful World” in a farewell. Police were forced to block off the area because the crowd was so large that a nearby wooden bridge shook dangerously. Some fans were injured in the chaos, but everyone stayed, kneeling and crying in the flickering candlelight.
Santa Monica, a place where people come to enjoy the sunrise, is now immersed in mourning. Offshore, the plane wreckage slowly sank to the bottom of the sea. On shore, white flowers and yellow candles covered the sand. The bright ICU was cold and hopeless, while outside, a sea of people were choking with tears. Ellen DeGeneres – who once brought laughter to the entire planet – had passed away in flames, leaving behind a void that nothing could fill.
