Chadwick Boseman's widow shares powerful reason why she brought his 'worn shoes' to his Walk of Fame ceremony
'You lived in honor and you walked in truth.'
It’s been five years since the passing of Chadwick Boseman. The “Black Panther” star passed away from colon cancer in 2020 but left his legacy and impact on the world, Hapar Bazaar revealed. The late actor was recently awarded the Hollywood Walk of Fame Star on November 20, 2025, E! News reported. To celebrate and honor his life and work, along with his Black Panther co-stars and others, were his brothers, Derrick and Kevin Boseman and his wife, Simone Ledward-Boseman. As they made their way to his star, Simone was also spotted carrying a pair of Chadwick’s shoes with her. When asked the reason behind choosing shoes, she had a moving response.
Simone had been with the “21 Bridges” actor for a few years before they got married shortly before his death. Speaking in an interview two years after his passing, the widow revealed what life with him was like, per Good Morning America. “I can't believe that I was so lucky. I can't believe that I got to love this person and I also got them to love me too,” she said. Simone had accepted quite a few awards on behalf of the late star after “Black Panther” blew up. Recently, she showed up at the Hollywood Walk of Fame carrying Chadwick in spirit but also holding on to something peculiar — a pair of his worn shoes.
Simone shared a couple of posts from the special day. One post captures a picture of the actor along with his shoes placed on the star with his name. “A momentous day. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen and everyone who came to celebrate our angel,” she captioned the post. “I just thought they were beautiful shoes. He wore them often," she said, per PEOPLE. Explaining why she chose his shoes, Simone pointed out how “worn” the soles of the shoes looked, indicating that he’d donned them a couple of times, each time, with its own occasion, own conversations, and own memories.
“I just thought that they were a beautiful pair of shoes. They reminded me of a lot of things that he wore, a lot of different looks that he had, and I felt that they would be the best ones to bring today,” the woman noted. She shared two other posts from the celebration. One of her posts with her husband’s star and another post with the “Black Panther” co-stars, Letitia Wright and Michael B. Jordan, and others. In both those pictures, too, she kept the late actor’s shoes right by her side. The evening was filled with support and tribute from family, friends, and fellow celebrities. Simone thanked them all for being by his side then and even today, Variety revealed.
She also honored the actor by sharing heartfelt words. “Chad, today we recognize your legacy. Your artistry. We recognize your skill and your devotion. You lived in honor and you walked in truth. You were as brilliant as you were beautiful and as courageous as you were kind. Chad, it was an honor to watch you transform and be transformed by you. We love you so much.”
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