Robin Williams' children Zak and Zelda honor 'wonderful, hairy man' on 8th death anniversary
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Robin Williams received emotional tributes from his children Zak and Zela on his eighth death anniversary.
The actor and comedian, who killed himself at age 63, was remembered by his son Zak, 39, as he shared an old photograph with his "wonderful, hairy man." Meanwhile, daughter Zelda, 33, shared a quote related to suicide prevention as she honored her father. The 'Good Will Hunting' star died in 2014 by suicide at his Paradise Cay, California residence. An autopsy found he was suffering from undiagnosed Lewy body disease, which is a form of progressive dementia.
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"Dad, on the eighth anniversary of your passing, I'm remembering how incredibly kind and joyful you were," Zak tweeted on Thursday, August 11. "I deeply miss you, you wonderful, hairy man, and will be celebrating your life today. Love you so so much!"
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
As mentioned, Zelda also honored her father with a quote from writer Haruki Murakami, which appeared to be related to suicide prevention. "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," the quote read. "But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in."
“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
She also shared a thread of suicide prevention resources and hotlines, urging her followers to add more information if they wished to. "I don't ask for much, but if I may, be gentle to your hearts today. I know I'm trying," Zelda wrote.
Zelda had shared a Murakami quote on last year's anniversary as well. "Sometimes when I look at you, I feel I'm gazing at a distant star," it read. "It's dazzling, but the light is from tens of thousands of years ago. Maybe the star doesn't even exist anymore. Yet sometimes that light seems more real to me than anything." The tweet has since been taken down. It's worth noting that Robin also had another son Cody, now 30, from his relationship with Valerie Velardi.
Zak shared a hilarious tribute to his father earlier this year on what would have been his 71st birthday. "Happy 71st Birthday Dad! I'll be remembering you today as you would want to be remembered, in spandex. Miss you and love you always!" he wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of his father on a bicycle.
The grieving son said last year that his father was "frustrated" with his health struggles before he ultimately ended his life. After the legendary comedian's demise, the family found out he had been misdiagnosed with Parkinson's disease and was actually suffering from Lewy body dementia, which is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's. "What I saw was frustration," Zak told Max Lugavere on his podcast 'The Genius Life'. "What he was going through didn't match one to one [with what] many Parkinson's patients experience. So, I think that was hard for him," he continued. "There was a focus issue that frustrated him, there were issues associated with how he felt, and also from a neurological perspective, he didn't feel great. He was very uncomfortable."
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Zak, now a mental health advocate, also questioned the medication his father was prescribed, suggesting it may have contributed to his deteriorating health. "Those drugs are no joke," he insisted. "They're also really hard on the mind and the body. I couldn't help but feel beyond empathy. I couldn't help but feel frustrated for him," Zak continued. "It can be really isolating even when you're with family and loved ones." Lewy body dementia is known to cause a progressive decline in mental abilities. Those affected may have visual hallucinations and experience changes in alertness and attention, the Daily Mail reported.