I’ve seen people talk about actors and artists that had a terrible time.
My own would be Anne Rice. She wrote Interview with the Vampire after her young daughter died of Leukemia. Then her husband suddenly died of a brain hemorrhage. I suspect her Christian, anti-fanfic phase was a result of mental illness and manipulation from the publishers, although I don’t think she ever apologized.
Paul Kalanithi- died at 37 of metastatic non-small-cell EGFR-positive lung cancer.
While not primarily a writer, Paul was completing his neurosurgery residency and a postdoc fellowship in neuroscience when he was diagnosed 2 years prior to his death.
He wrote about going from the doctor to the patient and unfortunately didn’t finish his book prior to his death.
Even if you don’t read his book - When Breath Becomes Air, I would highly recommend his numerous essays about death and dying.
How Long Have I Got Left? (I think this is the only subscription only one)
Before I go: Time warps for a young surgeon with metastatic lung cancer
My Last Day as a Surgeon
Terra Incognita: Remembering Sherwin Nuland
The title for his book came from this poem
You that seek what life is in death,
Now find it air that once was breath.
New names unknown, old names gone:
Till time end bodies, but souls none.
Reader! then make time, while you be,
But steps to your eternity.
BARON BROOKE FULKE GREVILLE
Caelica 83