I planned to sit down and write today’s post after dinner. (So far, my #NaBloPoMo has been defined by a failure to plan ahead.) However, while eating dinner, I heard the news about Robin Williams. He died today at the age of 63, due to an apparent suicide. Â As I sit down to write tonight’s post, I find myself unable to write about my originally planned topic.Â
I was stunned and my eyes immediately filled with tears. From what I’m seeing on social media, I’m far from the only one who had such an intense reaction to this news.  I think that for many of us, we almost felt like we “knew” him. His compassion and warmth shone through in every role that he played, whether it was in a screwball comedy or in a moving drama.  Who didn’t feel inspired by his performance in Dead Poet’s Society? Who could resist singing along with the Genie in Aladdin?  Not to mention his standup, which was legendary…
I can tie so many moments in my life to these magical moments created by Mr. Williams.  I remember learning about Vietnam after watching Good Morning, Vietnam with my parents.  The Birdcage (still one of my favorites) opened my eyes to a whole new world (wordplay intentional). As a teenager about to leave home for college, I devoured Good Will Hunting as I struggled to find my own way forward.
During my freshman year of college, my mom would tape movies for me during the free preview weekends on the premium channels. She would then mail me a care package containing a VHS or two (or send me back with an armload of tapes after a visit home). One of the movies she taped for me was a film called What Dreams May Come.  I remember popping the tape into the VCR and being entranced by the sheer beauty of the film – it was visually arresting. I also remember being affected by the story itself, which strikes a chord in light of today’s news.
In the movie, Robin Williams plays Chris, who loses his two children in an accident. He and his soul mate Annie struggle with the loss, but stay together. Then Chris also dies in an accident and finds himself in Heaven, where he is reunited with his kids and his dog.  Distraught, Annie eventually commits suicide. However, she is not reunited with Chris in the afterlife, as the “rules” dictate that those who commit suicide go to Hell. (The afterlife is – in this movie – largely a creation of your own imagination, and those that commit suicide tend to create nightmare afterworlds rather than idyllic ones because of their pain.)  Chris then decides that he will attempt the impossible and rescue Annie from her nightmare.
i’m not sure that this trailer really does it justice, but here you go…
(The film received mixed reviews, and it’s not perfect – but count me among those who liked it. I’m sure that the dog was a factor as well.)
Robin Williams touched so many people with his work – he was that rare breed of actor that could make you laugh until you cried (and sometimes cry until you laughed). The world seems a little dimmer with his light extinguished.
Obviously, the sadness I experienced when I heard does not even begin to compare to the grief that his friends and family must be feeling. My heart breaks for them. Loss is never easy… and a sudden loss like this one is its own special kind of devastating.
My mind always wants to make sense of the world around me, but sometimes that world just doesn’t make sense. Â However, I will be forever grateful to a man who brought me so many moments of joy, often when I needed them the most.
(If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, these suicide prevention hotlines may help. Also, here is a direct link to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You are not alone.)
Great post- well said. I am in such shock and my heart just aches for this. Thank you for posting those links, too!
Wonderful post. My favorite performances of Williams were with Jonathan Winters, his mentor. They tapped into a magical place.
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Great tribute! You always know how special someone was when you shed tears for a person you have never met. There is no doubt a lot of tears are being shed around the world right now. Godspeed, Mr. Williams. May you be at peace.
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Well said. He obviously had an effect on so many.
Great post, and just what i have been thinking about too. Such a wonderful actor. I remember Mork and Mindy, and everything he did moving forward from that. Such a loss.
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My mom was in shock too when she saw that headline. He must have felt so alone and struggled so hard to overcome his own demons. Addiction and depression are so sad and so very real and those suffering often feel so very alone and helpless. This is such a tragedy.
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Great post on a comedy legend. The world is a sadder place today without his humor. There are no sadder cries than those hidden behind laughter. â„
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I liked What Dreams May Come too. I loved so many of his films. I grew up with him. He felt like family. I think that is why we feel his loss so profoundly. Great post AJ.
BTW – I have already fallen short on the NaBloPoMo challenge. I just can’t seem to find time to write with all my dogs and when I do, I end up with little sleep. Going to keep trying, but I think you are doing a much better job of it than I. đ
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So far, I’ve managed to get a post in each evening, but I’n not sure how long I will last…
I’m pleased to see so many compassionate responses to this terrible tragedy. Thank you.
Unfortunately it’s a pain that visits many families.
No one who hasn’t experienced suicidal thoughts can understand how horrible ideas can seem perfectly rational. I hope the people who are suffering most, Mr. Williams’ family, can find peace.
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So true, Pamela. I think that people don’t always understand how depression lies and how it’s not a matter of simply turning off that inner monologue or refuting what your depression is telling you.
This is a wonderful post, AJ. I, too, was unexpectedly emotional upon hearing the news. Even Jan, the stoic, seemed affected.
We don’t really follow gossip and celebrity news so it came as a shock to us not knowing about his history with depression and addiction. But upon learning of it, neither of us were surprised. Artists, sensitives, creatives, call ’em (us) what you want, depression always seems to lurk so near.
Robin Williams was the “star” of so many of my favorite movies: The Fisher King, Dead Poet’s Society, Good Will Hunting and oh my yes, What Dreams May Come. (Call me a sap, I know it, I’m okay with it. đ
(PS – I love that your mom recorded videos for you while you were at school. Thanks for sharing that story.)
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