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Has anyone ever sent out a request, the celeb then passes away (you're sad that your celeb is lost & sad that your autograph request is consequently likely to be unsuccessful) ... but you are pleasantly surprised by still receiving your item signed (eg they might have signed it but not got around to msilingn it, and their family or agent subsequently posted it when it was found amongst their belongings; or it got lost in the mail for a while)

A bit similar but still different: I knew a guy who got Metallica´s autographs after a show in Stockholm in the 80s.... and a pic with bassist Cliff Burton just before the band got on the bus. A few hours later, the bus crashed and Burton was killed. He saw it in the morning news when he got up the next day.