I write with sorrow and a heavy heart. I grieve today for a beautiful man that quietly and tragically took his life yesterday. Robin Williams. His death has hit me hard. One in ten Americans suffer from severe depression. One in five suffer from mild depression. As the mother and sister of victims of chronic depression I want to scream out loud. I want to reach high and far, and I want to lay down low. Robin Williams - an irreplaceable treasure, an irreplaceable soul.
All the laughter he brought into our lives while he cried in private, now resonates to remind us of the fragility of the mentally ill, and of their pain. They are without a voice and forgotten by society. A stigma, a shameful secret - and life goes on while they suffer…
They suffer in silence, yet make us laugh. They suffer and don’t complain. Until the day that they can endure no more, and they take destiny into their hands and pass sentence on their tortured lives.
“Mork calling Orso” – Now it’s “Earth calling Robin.” Can you hear us? Where are you now, our beloved clown that bore the pain for so many years? That disease, Robin that you (Mork) spoke of: “apathy, lack of pride and greed.” Did it take you to your end? How can we ever know?
“Oh Popeye, can you hear me? Oh Thank you!” - Olive Oyl (Rosario)
He reminded us that through our pain, came the resolve of making others happy and making sure that no one else endured that pain. Thank you, Robin. Goodbye Mork, goodbye, Sean Maguire.
“ You - only you - will have stars that can laugh” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Some of his most memorable roles:
Popeye – The sailor man that was stronger than life
Mork and Mindy – The Alien
Dead Poets Society – The professor
Aladdin – The Genie
Moscow on the Hudson – The Russian Musician
Good Morning Vietnam – DJ and activist
Awakenings - Dr. Malcolm Sawyer
The Fisher King – A Homeless Man
Mrs. Doubtfire – a nanny to his own children
The Bird Cage – Armand- the drag queen
Good Will Hunting – MY FAVORITE - as Sean Maguire – Therapist
One Hour Photo – a creepy photo developer
The Crazy Ones – ad agency executive
... and many more