On August 11, 2014, Robin Williams’ body was discovered inside his Paradise Cay, California home. He had passed away the previous day. In addition to finding injuries on the actor’s left wrist, authorities found him wearing a belt around his neck when they saw him. Unfortunately, it was soon discovered and verified that Robin Williams had taken his own life at 63.
Williams had spent most of his life up to that moment making other people happy and laughing. He was a gifted comedian and actor who had won an Academy Award. As a result, he enjoyed great respect among his contemporaries and was treasured by his many followers.
However, even though he always seemed to be in a good mood, Robin Williams had a difficult time at the beginning of his career with alcoholism and drug addiction. And in the latter part of his life, he struggled with challenges related to his mental health and physical ailments.
However, many of his family members, friends, and followers were shocked by the unexpected news of his passing and were looking for answers. How did Robin Williams die? What led Robin Williams to decide to end his own life? The terrible truths would soon come to light.
America’s Most Beloved Comedian Inside The Troubled Life
On July 21, 1951, Robin Williams made his debut into the world in Chicago, Illinois. Williams who was the son of a Ford Motor Company executive and a woman who had previously worked as a fashion model, showed an early interest in the entertainment industry. The aspiring comedian’s goal was to make everyone laugh, beginning with his own family and continuing with his students.
When he was a young adult, his family moved to the state of California. Williams would attend Claremont Men’s College and College of Marin before making a brief move to New York City to attend Juilliard School. During this time, Williams would also play college baseball.
Soon after, Robin Williams relocated to California to try his luck in the world of stand-up comedy and he developed a successful routine during the 1970s. Around the same time, he began making guest appearances on various television shows, including Mork & Mindy.
Williams, however, would not debut in a major motion picture until 1980, when he portrayed the title character in the film Popeye. From that point on, he went on to star in several critically acclaimed films, such as “Good Morning, Vietnam” and “Dead Poets Society.” Throughout it all, his outstanding comedy skills never stopped astounding people.
Robin Williams’s beaming grin lighted up the silver screen for decades during his career. On the other hand, he wrestled with his problems beneath the surface. Williams struggled with cocaine dependency during the 1970s and 1980s. He was unable to kick the habit. He finally gave up after his friend John Belushi who he had been partying with the night before, passed away due to an overdose.
Even though he never used cocaine again following Belushi’s passing, he started drinking frequently in the early 2000s, which led to his spending some time in rehabilitation facilities. During this time, Williams also struggled with clinical depression. Despite their consistent achievements in his professional life, he worked with a roller coaster of emotions in his personal life.
Nevertheless, it appeared that Williams could recover from any kind of setback. And by the beginning of the 2010s, it seemed as though his darkest days were far in the past for him. Then, however, the doctor gave him some devastating news regarding his condition.
How Did Robbin Williams Death?
Robin Williams was diagnosed with Parkinson’s three months before his 2014 death. He told his wife and three children (from his two previous marriages). His loved ones agreed to keep his diagnosis hidden until he was ready. Robin Williams tried to grasp his paranoia, anxiety and depression. Parkinson’s didn’t explain his symptoms, he said. So he and his wife arranged to visit a neuropsychological testing institution. Sadly, he never arrived.
Robin Williams appeared serene the night before his death. Susan Schneider Williams subsequently said he was using an iPad and “improving.” Before sleeping at 10:30 p.m., Susan last saw her husband alive. He said goodnight to her that night. After that, he moved to another bedroom, where he died.
Robin Williams was found dead at 11:45 a.m. on August 11, 2014. His wife had departed, assuming he was asleep. His aide picked the door lock. Robin Williams committed suicide inside. He was found seated on the floor with a belt around his neck and the other end between a closet door and door frame. Later, police detected slight wrist wounds.
On a neighboring chair, investigators located Williams’ iPad (which did not contain any suicide-related information), two types of medications and a pocketknife with his blood on it. No attempts to revive him were attempted, and he was pronounced dead at 12:02 p.m. The only drugs in Williams’ system were caffeine, antidepressants and Parkinson’s disease medication levodopa. An autopsy verified Robin Williams’ suicide by hanging.
His family and followers were crushed by his death. His spokesperson said he had “serious depression” recently. Many believed this was why Robin Williams committed suicide. His autopsy would show the cause of his pain. Williams was misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s and had a different, misunderstood condition.
Why did Robin Williams die?
Before his death, Robin Williams had been clean and sober for eight years. His widow was outraged and frustrated by accusations that he had relapsed before his death. Susan Schneider Williams later remarked, “It enraged me when the media said he’d been drinking because I know there are recovering addicts and depressed people who looked up to him and deserved the truth.”She argued it wasn’t depression that killed Robin Williams. Depression was one of 50 minor symptoms.”
Susan Schneider Williams blamed her husband’s suicide on Lewy body dementia which he didn’t realize he had. Doctors concur. Lewy body dementia is fatal. Killer. Fast, progressive,” stated Dr. Miller, director of Memory and Aging at UCSF. “I’d never seen a more terrible case of Lewy body dementia.” Robin’s ability to walk or move amazed me.
Robin Williams never learned what sickness he had but his widow was relieved to know. Since then, she’s made it her mission to learn as much as possible about the condition, educate others and correct false beliefs about her husband’s death. She and his family are also working to preserve Robin Williams’ legacy. This star will never be forgotten.
Robin Williams’s Diseases
Robin Williams has Lewy body dementia, combining Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s symptoms. “Lewy bodies” are aberrant protein aggregates that permeate a patient’s brain. These aggregates may cause 15% of dementia cases. The disease drastically affects sleep, behavior, movement, cognition and control of one’s body. Williams was exhausted. Despite the challenges, physicians say he fought valiantly. Dr. Bruce Miller, an expert familiar with Williams’ situation, said, “intelligent people can bear degenerative disease better than typical people.” He was a genius.
Nobody knew about Robin Williams’ ailment until after his death. This meant that a clever man was suffering from something he couldn’t understand which explains why he was frustrated by his symptoms. Robin Williams was scheduled to visit a neuropsychological testing institution but his widow believes the visit may have stressed him out before he died. Sleep, behavior, mobility, cognition and physical control are all affected. Williams was exhausted.
Stay tuned for more updates, Nog Magazine.