Robin Williams' Children Pay Tribute to the Late Actor on the 8th Anniversary of His Death

Charmaine Patterson
·3 min read
Robin Williams
Robin Williams

Ethan Miller/Getty Images Robin Williams

Robin Williams' children are remembering the late actor eight years after his death.

On Thursday, Zak Williams, 39, shared a throwback photo of the comedic icon and wrote, "Dad, on the eighth anniversary of your passing, I'm remembering how incredibly kind and joyful you were."

He added, "I deeply miss you you wonderful, hairy man and will be celebrating your life today. Love you so so much!"

The Mrs. Doubtfire star's only daughter Zelda Williams, 33, also penned a sweet message in the form of a quote from Japanese writer Haruki Murakami.

RELATED: Robin Williams' Son Zak Honors Late Actor's Birthday with Funny Throwback: 'Love You Always'

"And once the storm is over, you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive," it begins. "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."

She went on to share suicide resources, adding it part, "I don't ask for much, but if I may, be gentle to your hearts today. I know I'm trying. X"

Williams was also father to son Cody Alan Williams, 30.

RELATED: Ben Affleck Says Robin Williams 'Made a Massive Impression' on Him: 'That's How You Do This'

On the evening of Aug. 11, 2014, news broke that Robin died by suicide at age 63. It was later discovered the actor had Lewy body dementia, the second-most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease.

In July 2021 Zak, a mental health advocate, opened up to The Genius Life podcast host Max Lugavere about the "frustration" Robin experienced after being misdiagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

"What he was going through didn't match one to one [with what] many Parkinson's patients experience," Zak said. "So, I think that was hard for him."

RELATED VIDEO: Zak Williams Says His Dad Robin Was His Best Friend: I Understood What He Was Going Through

"I couldn't help but feel beyond empathy. I couldn't help but feel frustrated for him," Zak continued in part. "It can be really isolating even when you're with family and loved ones."

Zak then opened up on the podcast about the toll his father's suicide took on his own mental health.

"I was heavily drinking to manage my mental health where it created very harmful issues. For me personally, I was having health issues. I was experiencing some psychosis and when I spoke with a psychiatrist I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," he shared. "I was self-medicating through the trauma using alcohol."

The father of two went on to do mental health advocacy work, which got him through his own difficulties with depression. "I was just sick and tired of trying to treat myself using harmful means," Zak said. He found comfort in a 12-step program and group therapy.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • IMF urges Bank of Japan to tread cautiously in raising interest rates

    The Bank of Japan (BOJ) must tread cautiously in raising interest rates, as some indicators of inflation expectations remain short of its 2% target, the International Monetary Fund's Japan mission chief Nada Choueiri said on Friday. Choueiri told Reuters that a weak yen had a net-positive impact on Japan's economic growth, and signaled the IMF's preference for the country to allow exchange rates to move flexibly.

  • US House pushes ahead with $95bn foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

    Coalition of lawmakers helped legislation clear procedural hurdle to reach final votes, following opposition from rightwing Republicans

  • GB News to axe 40 jobs weeks after revealing heavy losses

    GB News is to cut 40 jobs as the opinionated broadcaster battles to stem losses.

  • Butler Hall Capital urges Vanda to engage in sales discussions

    Hedge fund manager Butler Hall Capital said on Friday it is urging Vanda Pharmaceuticals to form an independent special committee to engage with Future Pak over its takeover offer and run a full sales process. On April 17, Vanda rejected a takeover proposal from Future Pak and adopted a shareholder rights plan to reduce the likelihood of a hostile takeover. Vanda had said Future Pak, a privately held contract manufacturer and packager of pharmaceutical products, had made an offer of $7.25 to $7.75 per share in cash, which significantly undervalued the company and was not in the shareholders' best interest.

  • Who was Clara Bow? The original 'it girl' who inspired Taylor Swift's new song

    Taylor Swift's latest album has been out for less than a day - but fans and critics alike are already deep into decoding the meaning of her somewhat cryptic lyrics. The pop icon's mammoth project, The Tortured Poets Department, ended up being a secret double album, with the first part ending on a track simply titled Clara Bow. American actress Clara Bow was one of the most successful film stars of the silent era and became the original "it girl" after starring in the 1927 hit film, It.

  • What's Ryan Garcia really selling us with his erratic behavior ahead of his fight vs. Devin Haney?

    The central question clouding Ryan Garcia's fight with Devin Haney is whether Garcia should really be put into a professional boxing match right now?

  • Debate over tight end value hovers over Brock Bowers' draft prospects

    Evaluating Brock Bowers the player is a fairly straightforward assignment. As he showed in three seasons at Georgia, Bowers is a dynamic receiver with the ability to create separation, make contested catches and create big plays after the catch, along with being a more than capable blocker. Bowers is widely considered one of the top 10 players in next week's NFL draft but because he plays the lower-premium position of tight end, there is much more uncertainty about how high he will get drafted.

  • Muted Iranian reaction to attack provides short-term wins for Netanyahu

    Israeli prime minister’s main concern is his political survival but a multi-front war is still a strong possibility

  • Hall in Maxwell bustling with bowling and other gatherings

    While rentals were down slightly because of repairs done, there is strong community interest in the hall, the yearly report from the Maxwell Hall board said. With the bowling league, senior group and rentals, there were about 222 days with usage said the report, received by council on April 3. Maxwell hall under its Memorandum of Under­standing with the municipality sets its own rates, Coun. Nadia Dubyk noted, so they are different than the other standard rates. The revenue stays with the Maxwel

  • Mounties awarded 8 per cent salary increase over 2 years

    Unionized RCMP officers are set to get a raise.An arbitration decision this week awards an eight per cent increase over two years. The decision awards a four per cent increase retroactive to April 1, 2023, and another four per cent as of April 1 this year. The increase will affect about 20,000 RCMP members across the country from constable to staff sergeant major represented by the National Police Federation.Martin Potvin, a spokesperson for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, said in an e

  • Equities platform Midas raises $45M Series A as fintech retains its sparkle in Turkey

    Midas, a fintech startup that allows people in Turkey to invest in U.S. and Turkish equities, says it has raised $45 million in a funding round led by Portage Ventures of Canada. The startup is aimed at Turkey’s retail investor market and claims to have more than 2 million users.

  • Caitlin Clark's WNBA salary showcases wage gap in pro sports

    The University of Iowa college basketball star Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA draft and was picked up as the number one overall pick by the Indiana Fever. Clark led the Iowa Hawkeyes through the March Madness tournament all the way to the finals, ultimately losing to South Carolina. Clark's rookie contract of $338,056 over the next four years further illustrates the monumental pay disparities between men's and women's professional sports. Yahoo Finance's Seana Smith joins Wealth! to compare Clark's rookie compensation package with that of her male counterparts, including the number one NBA draft pick Victor Wembanyama who will be paid a whopping $12 million for his first year in the league. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Oil prices have muted reaction to Israel, Iran conflict

    Oil prices (BZ=F, CL=F) are on the move on Friday after Israel launched a retaliatory strike against Iran. In addition, national gas prices have begun to move higher with northeastern states potentially feeling more pain at the pump due to late adaptation of summer-blend gas. Yahoo Finance Reporter Ines Ferré joins Wealth! to break down the price movements in oil and what consumers can expect moving forward. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • The Magic has only begun

    Two world-renowned Vegas magicians; Sean Watson and Chanelle Munroe recently gave Thompson a glimpse of their illusionist performance. They held a teaser show for the community's council and leaders to excite their taste for more on a much bigger scale. With just a few tricks pulled out of the hat, their showmanship made us all scratch our heads, giving the highest quality of stage presence and sleight of hand. Anticipation has been building up the last few weeks as Sean and Chanelle plan to do

  • Grey Highlands Council Digest

    Grey Highlands council received review of its new waste cart system, looks at year-end financials and chooses a representative for the Rotary Park committee. EUGENIA & DISTRICT CIA The minutes for Eugenia and District Community Improvement Association came to council. These noted that weather interfered with skating this winter, although the rink was used for a few weeks. The date for the Gold Rush celebration is Saturday, June 22. Plans are to have a scaled-down event due to less money being av

  • New technology featured in better learning

    The University College of the North (UCN) has entered into a partnership with Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario, to bring interactive teaching tools to UCN's Centre for Aboriginal Languages and Culture. The initiative dubbed the "XR Project," aims to provide context-based language learning for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Northern Manitoba. The "XR" in "XR Project" stands for virtual, hybrid, and augmented reality technology, which will enable UCN to leverage the latest teaching too

  • What Makes Airbnb (ABNB) a Potential Investment?

    Polen Capital, an investment management company, released its “Polen Global Growth Strategy” first-quarter 2024 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. In the first quarter, the fund increased 8.10% gross and 7.81% net, respectively, trailing the MSCI ACW Index’s 8.20% return. The market dynamics that were in place at the end […]

  • Bomb threat evacuates Louisville zoo

    The zoo has been given the all-clear after police said it appears to be a ‘false call’

  • Deb Haaland makes milestone signing for Placitas

    Deb Haaland makes milestone signing for Placitas

  • Boynton Beach Firefighters Fishing Tournament and Chili Cook-off

    Boynton Beach Firefighters Fishing Tournament and Chili Cook-off