“I deeply miss you you wonderful, hairy man and will be celebrating your life today,” Robin Williams’ son Zak Williams wrote in a touching message on Twitter
Robin Williams’ children are remembering the late actor eight years after his death.
On Thursday, Zak Williams, 39, shared a throwback photo of the comedic icon and wrote, “Dad, on the eighth anniversary of your passing, I’m remembering how incredibly kind and joyful you were.”
He added, “I deeply miss you you wonderful, hairy man and will be celebrating your life today. Love you so so much!”
The Mrs. Doubtfire star’s only daughter Zelda Williams, 33, also penned a sweet message in the form of a quote from Japanese writer Haruki Murakami.
Dad, on the eighth anniversary of your passing, I'm remembering how incredibly kind and joyful you were. I deeply miss you you wonderful, hairy man and will be celebrating your life today. Love you so so much! pic.twitter.com/UBa51xeN2g
— Zak Williams (@zakwilliams) August 11, 2022
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive,” it begins. “You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.”
She went on to share suicide resources, adding it part, “I don’t ask for much, but if I may, be gentle to your hearts today. I know I’m trying. X”
Williams was also father to son Cody Alan Williams, 30.
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.” – Haruki Murakami
— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) August 11, 2022
On the evening of Aug. 11, 2014, news broke that Robin died by suicide at age 63. It was later discovered the actor had Lewy body dementia, the second-most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer’s disease.
In July 2021 Zak, a mental health advocate, opened up to The Genius Life podcast host Max Lugavere about the “frustration” Robin experienced after being misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
“What he was going through didn’t match one to one [with what] many Parkinson’s patients experience,” Zak said. “So, I think that was hard for him.”
“I couldn’t help but feel beyond empathy. I couldn’t help but feel frustrated for him,” Zak continued in part. “It can be really isolating even when you’re with family and loved ones.”
Zak then opened up on the podcast about the toll his father’s suicide took on his own mental health.
“I was heavily drinking to manage my mental health where it created very harmful issues. For me personally, I was having health issues. I was experiencing some psychosis and when I spoke with a psychiatrist I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” he shared. “I was self-medicating through the trauma using alcohol.”
The father of two went on to do mental health advocacy work, which got him through his own difficulties with depression. “I was just sick and tired of trying to treat myself using harmful means,” Zak said. He found comfort in a 12-step program and group therapy.
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