Robin Williams’ Son Opens Up About The Actor’s Suicide

Robin Williams, who rose to fame due to his function because the alien Mork within the TV present “Mork & Mindy” (1978–1982) and his stand-up comedy, tragically handed away on August 11, 2014, from suicide.

Regardless of his skilled success, Robin struggled with private challenges, together with habit and psychological well being points, in addition to issues from Lewy physique dementia, a progressive neurological illness.

On what would have been Robin Williams’ 73rd birthday, his son Zak Williams is honoring his late father and highlighting the significance of psychological well being consciousness inside the leisure business.

In a brand new interview with Brandon Saho, Robin Williams’ son, Zak Williams, 41, opened up about his father’s dying, psychological well being struggles, and the leisure business. “Properly, I feel, relative to his battle, it was very a lot the battle of plenty of comics and entertainers,” he stated. “That is what many, many people within the leisure business cope with and may’t discuss.”

“So, sure, he skilled melancholy [and] anxiousness over the course of his life, trauma, and issues like that,” he added. “However you already know, he had efficient methods to handle it, and he acquired plenty of pleasure and therapeutic from going out, entertaining audiences, being immersed in environments the place there’s plenty of people who need to interact with what he has to say.”

“In terms of his mental health, once more, you already know, he had efficient methods of managing it, and after I realized increasingly more in regards to the challenges that entertainers cope with, they should put a smile on,” Zak revealed.

Zak additionally posted a black-and-white throwback picture of his father on X, the social media platform previously referred to as Twitter.

“Dad, on what could be your 73rd birthday,” he wrote within the submit. “I bear in mind you for all of the hope and pleasure you delivered to the world.”

He continued, “There’s not per week that goes by with out somebody sharing with me the way you helped them via a darkish time or a tough patch. I am so grateful to be your son. Love you eternally.”

Ever since his father passed away, the now 41-year-old has been lively in psychological well being advocacy and has co-founded the psychological well being group “Inseparable.”

“Inseparable” goals to cut back stigma, enhance entry to psychological well being sources, and advocate for coverage adjustments. The group focuses on supporting people and households affected by psychological well being challenges, and it offers sources and neighborhood assist to assist enhance psychological well-being.

“The coronavirus pandemic has introduced mild to a parallel pandemic that is taking place,” Zak instructed People Magazine throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. “We’re experiencing from it as a direct results of the pandemic… a shared trauma that is turning into fairly acute on account of every little thing that individuals have been via each when it comes to the devastating financial results, the isolation and plenty of circumstances from communities.”

“As an alternative of turning into extra remoted, discovering resentment, getting offended about it, we have to really discover options and alternatives to band collectively to seek out the sources and apply them to precise significant change on a system’s stage,” he added. “That is what I feel is so essential presently.”

Zak has discovered his personal path to psychological wellness by “prioritizing self-care earlier than being there for others.”

“I keep away from medication and alcohol, I decide to assist teams,” he instructed Individuals Journal. “One factor I discovered very therapeutic for me via my expertise has been service and dedication to service work particularly round psychological well being and psychological well being assist organizations. Consuming effectively, committing to a wholesome life-style. Issues that I want in my weekly and each day routine to raised assist my wellbeing.”

In the event you or somebody you already know wants psychological well being assist, textual content “STRENGTH” to the Disaster Textual content Line at 741-741.