I’ve been in denial. It didn’t really, really hit me until today after talking to a friend that’s pretty shaken up about it. My heart starts racing just thinking about it. It’s really crazy to think about how well you know someone that you never really knew at all…
In the wake of Robin Williams’ passing, comedians, improvisers, actors, artists and fans are left wondering “Why?” or “How?” As we remember his incredible body of work, these questions only get harder to answer. Man, he was a genius! There’s literally no one else like him. It would be hard for you to not know who he was and not love him. Even a toddler would know who the Genie in “Aladdin” was and anyone alive during the late 70s will most definitely know who “Mork and Mindy” are. To sit here and list all of the amazing things that he’s done in his career would take us forever…and probably even longer because we’d talk about all of these amazing moments he created in all of these amazing projects. He was so loved an respected. Why? How?
Saying that Robin Williams was a brilliant performer is not news to anyone, so it’s not at all surprising that links to epic performances of his have been shared throughout the last few days, but the most incredible shares on social media that I’ve seen are the personal stories. With lots of friends in the improv/comedy/acting community around the country, it’s really amazing to see how many lives he touched. Stories of how he inspired people…even if they never even met him.
Here’s a small collection of those personal stories…
“I wanted to be just like him as an actor. One of the greatest compliments a director gave me was that I was a young Robin Williams. It made it even more meaningful given the fact that he knew Robin Williams.” – Brian McDonald
Thank you for being an inspiration, hero, artist, teammate and person. We’ll never have another friend like you…
There’s really nothing more to say…except this:
Charities that Robin Williams supported:
COMIC RELIEF
CHRISTOPER & DANA REEVE FOUNDATION
ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
If you or someone you know is in a crisis call the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273- 8255 (TALK)
(Shared by Kimee Balmilero, Head Sillypino at Improvhi)