A Little Spark of Madness

Robin Williams and his impact on the world around him.

Behind the scenes of his latest movie, sat a crying Robin Williams, struggling to remember his lines. “He was sobbing in my arms at the end of every day. It was horrible. Horrible. — He cried and cried and said ‘I can’t, Cheri. I don’t know how anymore. I don’t know how to be funny’,” Cheri Minns, William’s makeup artist, confesses.

On August 11, 2014, the beloved Robin Williams passed away. After 63 years of dedicating his life to bringing joy into the world, the treasured comedian took his own life at his home in California.

Robin Williams suffered LBD, lewy body dementia — which can cause memory loss, delusions, Parkinson’s symptoms, and other health problems. Despite his declining health, Williams was able to keep the magic alive for audiences until the end. It wasn’t until after his passing that we really got to see and understand the pain Williams suffered.

In addition to suffering LBD, Williams also struggled with a past of depression and substance abuse.“Cocaine for me was a place to hide. Most people get hyper on coke. It slowed me down," Williams revealed. It was not until the passing of his close friend, John Belushi, combined with the announcement of the birth of his first son, that he committed to sobering up.

Nevertheless, nothing quite matched the magnitude of Robin William’s addiction to comedy.

From Aladdin to Dead Poets Society, Williams always dug deep, finding a way to make each role his own. As Williams was so immensely passionate about giving audiences an escape from everyday life, he didn’t let anything get in the way of bringing his performances to life. In his first gig, the young comedian’s microphone was defected, failing to produce any sound. Being the mad man he was, Williams ditched the mic and jumped straight into the audience, launching into his performance. As he performed, luckily, with classical theatre training to back him up, he was able to project his voice loud enough for the whole room to hear. As Williams got the attention of the entire crowd, he began to improvise, working with individuals in the crowd. It was this wild, unpredictable fire that made Williams the lovable comedian that he is today.

Robin Williams had a tremendous impact on the world around him. Not only did Williams inspire individuals through his television and films, but he also inspired people simply through his interactions with his fans. As Williams loved his fans, he especially loved meeting them, making every fan he met feel special. One fan, in particular, that was truly touched by the actions of Williams was Jessica Cole. In 2004, Williams visited Jessica, a 13 year-old who was victim of a brain tumor. Too sick to leave her home, Williams paid to fly to her and visit her.

Williams’ real job truly was helping people. From bringing joy to cancer patients, simply barking like a seal at giggling kids across a community pool during the filming of Mrs. Doubtfire, to performing an improvised puppet show for a young boy playing with an Aladdin genie toy, Williams genuinely strived to make every fan experience one to remember.

However, the compassion does not stop there. Williams consistently showed his love for our troops, making six USO tours, five of which were overseas. Throughout the tours, Williams performed for troops in 12 foreign countries. “They work hard, sacrifice a lot and deserve to be treated like the heroes they are. The very least I can do is bring a smile to their faces,” Williams expressed during his 2007 USO tour. Williams carried the goal of bringing a smile to each person’s face, not only through his performance, but also through getting to know the soldiers. In an effort to connect with his audience, Williams made a point of taking the time to talk to the soldiers individually, getting to know as many people as he possibly could.

Robin Williams truly touched the hearts of millions of people. The selflessness and compassion he held for the world was incredibly astonishing. Williams put his heart and soul into every project he encountered, every fan he met, as well as any joke he made, and we felt it all. Robin Williams has the ability to tear you out of your world and pull you into his bright and crazy universe, whether it is for five minutes or two hours. Perhaps, if we all strive to reach Robin’s level of kindness and selflessness, the world will be a better, more loving place.

Robin Williams, you will truly be missed.

Related posts:

People sometimes describe depression as the black dog. I’ve had this pet in my life for a many years, and I feel like we have an okay relationship right now thanks to the endless patience, love and…

The industry of affiliate marketing is the quickest developing way on how to make money online from home. Now you aren’t the owner of any product, but you’re the owner of your own business with…

Louie the dog does not see himself as a household pet. He’s more of a cherished family member. He contributes, okay? Louie shares more commonalities with his human roommates than any dog he’s ever…