August 11 marks one year since Robin Williams passed away. He was such a beloved person and his death shocked so many.
I have never been one who gets dramatic over celebrity deaths, but his was different because we were the same age, suffer from physical problems, loved his work, and understood financial difficulties. I cried when I heard the news. The only other famous person I cried over was when John Lennon was assassinated.
From the first time I saw Robin on the program 'Mork and Mindy' I liked him. He always came across to me as a person who was sad. Yes, he made me laugh tremendously, but I understood that there was a level of sadness always around him. Many want to blame his death on alcohol and drugs, which was proven untrue in the autopsy. So many do not understand depression, especially when they perceive someone as having everything, such as Robin. Of course there will always be theories about why or how he died, but I think it's better to remember the brilliant talented man that he was.
From being one of the highest paid actors in the 1990's his celebrity had declined over the years because he started choosing rolls that appealed to him, and they were not always comedies. He made over 50 movies. He had the ability to be a serious actor and brought such depth to each character he played. He proved how good he was as an actor in Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting, What Dreams May Come, Patch Adams, and the touching Bicentennial Man.
Of course he will always be remembered for his great comedies such as Mrs. Doubtfire, The Fisher King, The Birdcage, Jack, and who can forget his marvelous genie in Aladdin. These are just to name a few of his movies. He left a large body of work behind that will entertain people for many generations to come.
His one man standup comedy shows were always something I looked forward to. He just had a way of making you see the world a little differently. No matter what he did he always came across as lovable.
My personal favorite movie of his is "Moscow on the Hudson." He mixed comedy with serious acting. He learned to speak Russian fluently and the other actors who were Russian could not believe how well he spoke it. Whatever he did he put his whole self into it and created magic.
It turns out that financially he was not well off anymore, between high alimony payments, and lack of income, at the level he had been receiving, he was struggling financially. Also he was suffering from Parkinson's disease. I understand the effects of that extremely well as my father had it and so do I. Physical decline often causes depression to worsen. When you cannot do what you used to it is horrific. Ask anyone who suffers from chronic illness or an accident and they will tell you.
At the time of his death I had not seen many of his latest movies and have seen them since and I am astounded at how good they were. Recently I saw "Angriest Man in Brooklyn" and found it totally believable from the standpoint of being someone who is chronically ill. Often you get angry when your health goes. I thought he did a standout performance and yet many people do not like this movie.
He was a gentle kind man and I have read many different stories from people who have met him accidentally and he never acted like a celebrity. He was always just himself, which was quite humble. He let his crazy side out when he performed. Often people confuse a person with the characters they have played. For me he will always be a sweet lovable human who did his best to make others happy.
He worked for free on the charity to help the homeless 'Comic Relief'. He traveled to Iraq several times and performed for the troops without great publicity or fanfare. He always wanted to help others. Robin had a requirement that for every single event or film he did, the company hiring him also had to hire a certain number of homeless people and put them to work.
So take a few moments and remember this wonderful man who graced our planet and made the world smile. Perhaps watch one of his movies in memory of him.
The main thing is he is at peace and will always be remembered.
Thank you for everything Robin.
Bless your spirit
Spiritual Advisor Cherokee Billie offers help through the lens of wisdom, philosophy, self-help, and spirituality. Cherokee Billie is the Author of "Heavenly Seduction" an Amazon.com best seller. In addition, Cherokee Billie is a Naturopathic Doctor (twenty years experience) Author, an Life Strategist, a Radio Personality, and an Ordained Minister leading people to a pathway to spiritual enlightenment.
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