He was a tragic figure. A wider range of people can identify with someone appearing to be self aware of who they are, and how they struggle. For everything a person might not like about him, he showed a side that was desperately striving to overcome those things, because he knew if he didn't it would be the end of him. He even seemed to know that even bettering himself might not matter, his past could still catch up with him. But he still appeared to be trying.

That resonates with people.