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Of course the entire world mourned. In times of war and conflicts, there are videos going viral of a laughing baby or a cat falling of a table on an almost weekly basis. Humor helps, soothes, cures. So if a provider of laughter decides to put an end to his life, you’re deeply touched. The perhaps most beautiful reaction came from ‘The Academy’, the people behind the yearly Oscars. Four words, one picture, saying everything. The genie from Aladdins lamp was voiced by Robin Williams in the Disney classic and as such got his characteristics as well. Robin Williams had suffered from depressions and a drinking problems, got better, but never really felt good. So now, hopefully, the genie that everybody loved found the freedom he was looking for.
Genie, you’re free. pic.twitter.com/WjA9QuuldD — The Academy (@TheAcademy) August 12, 2014
Of course, this death came with a lot of questions about suicide, about the reasons for it and about the often underestimated thing that depression is. The clown that makes his audience laugh but feels lonely and sad on the other moments of his life. The comedian everybody loves but doesn’t feel well himself.
Robin Williams may have been the only person in the world who didn’t love him. — Jack Knight (@OVLH) August 11, 2014
Behind every smile is a story we don’t know… RIP robin Williams 💙 pic.twitter.com/xH1FTwIr91 — Kim Clijsters (@Clijsterskim) August 12, 2014
It all screams out that there should be more attention paid to the awfulness a depression can be and the sad fact that people often have to wear masks.
Robin Williams passing is a reminder that those who make us laugh the most are usually fighting the biggest demons. #RIPRobinWilliams — Words (@funnyortruth) August 12, 2014
If you only RT one tweet today make sure it’s this one pic.twitter.com/5iQclw4Ekr — Jamiehiles (@Jamiejcnews) August 12, 2014
“Have to”, that’s indeed how I said it, because a tweet by Pauley Perette (possibly better known as Abby Sciuto from the series ‘NCIS’) is worth many thoughts. Celebs get so many spotlights on them, too many of them, that can break them. That must be stressful and nervewrecking at times. Yet, because of their status and fame, it is more difficult for them to go and find help since that would already be “news” in a tabloid before they even get to ask for help.. “Fame is Fatal”, Pauley says, and she unfortunately might be right.
Trust me. #FameIsFatal Celebrities are dead because if we are in crisis, we don’t call 911 because it will be broadcast. — Pauley Perrette (@PauleyP) August 12, 2014
The deaths of celebrities are also often a reason to share quotes about life and the meaning of it. Quotes by the deceased person, of course. The most shared ones today were “I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is ending up with people who make you feel all alone.”, a quote by Robin himself, and “You don’t know about real loss, because that only occurs when you love something more than you love yourself.”, as said by Sean Maguire, Williams character in the movie ‘Good Will Hunting’. Others take lessons from the death, such as “enjoy your life because each day can be your last” or something similar. Kaya Callahan, daughter of Eva LaRue (known from ‘CSI:Miami’) wants to remember Robin Williams in this way: http://isatrends.at/friends/55413/robin-williams-mit-den-augen-eines-kindes/ . Robin Williams was a man of many talents, like many actors, but like no other actor as well. “On of a kind” os how American President Barack Obama describes him, as Robin was a beautiful person, as his friends and colleagues acknowledge as well.
Robin Williams…that 5 minute chat that evolved into 90 mins ,my sides were aching from laughter. Amazing mind , such a kind man . RIP — Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) August 12, 2014
I am stunned and just reeling from the news of Robin Williams’ death. He brought so much joy and heart to millions… Just, wow. — Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) August 12, 2014
What I’ll remember about Robin most was his genuine kindness and love of people. On set and off. — Hank Azaria (@HankAzaria) August 12, 2014
“Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny … and everything in between. But he was one of a kind.” —President Obama — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 12, 2014
Absolutely stunned to hear the news about Robin Williams. It’s unimaginable to me that we’ve lost such a genuinely funny and sweet man. — Conan O’Brien (@ConanOBrien) August 12, 2014
Just as beautiful were the tweets of support and remembrance shared by organizations. My favourites were the ones by NASA and the British Museum. The American space agency digged up a memory from 1988, when Robin Williams woke up the staff of Space shuttle ‘Discovery’.
“G-o-o-d morning, Discovery!” Robin Williams awakened a space shuttle crew in 1988: http://t.co/nDS0OBGgZq #RIPRobinWilliams @collectSPACE — NASA (@NASA) August 12, 2014
The British Museum tweeted a picture of Robin Williams in character as ‘Night at the Museum”s Teddy Roosevelt, standing next to the Rosetta stone. Just admit it: you’d love to have a guide like Robin Williams when visiting the museum, wouldn’t you? Me too..
#RIPRobinWilliams pic.twitter.com/KRlSRllNKc — British Museum (@britishmuseum) August 12, 2014
Anyway, beautiful memories of course. Though there is some stuff that annoys me as well. For example people who have no clue who Robin Williams is. Maybe I’m getting old – after all I am 29 already – but it does kind of hurt when seeing that the youth of today doesn’t know some of my heroes. When they don’t know who Freddie Mercury is, have never seen an episode of ‘Friends’, never saw Zinédine Zidane play football or Ayrton Senna race in a Formula 1 car. So today, there were people who had no idea who Robin Williams is or confused him with singer Robbie Williams. I can’t get my head around that, but I guess I’ll have to start accepting that there are new and younger generations in town that didn’t get the same education. But, the thing that annoys me even more is the way attention seeking media cope with this kind of news. In this case, ABC News:
Everything that’s wrong with modern media in one screenshot pic.twitter.com/3rKYQ4z5Le — Scott Dylan (@scottdylan) August 12, 2014
Luckily, there is also room for humour on a day like this. Ok, some people would find it way too soon to start laughing about someone dying, but let’s be honest, this man never would have wanted to hurt us with his suicide. He always wanted to make us laugh and enjoyed wathing us smile. So let’s.
Belgian @Zegmaarbas knew this as well and strikingly noted the above mentioned generation gap. The hashtag #RIPRobinWilliams, a picture of Gary Barlow (who looks a bit like Robbie Williams) and a random lyric from one of Robbie Williams’s songs. All possible confusions thrown together in one tweet. Thanks, Bas, I found this very funny 🙂
#RIPRobinWilliams pic.twitter.com/M8l7FSC8AM — Zegmaarbas (@zegmaarbas) August 12, 2014
To finish this of, my deepest sympathy to Robins family, friends and acquaintances of course. It must be very difficult for them to say goodbye to such a beautiful personality.
pic.twitter.com/UEtjQ1f2zS — Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) August 12, 2014
“Please, don’t worry so much, because in the end, none of us have very long on this Earth. Life is fleeting. And if you’re ever distressed, cast your eyes to the summer sky, when the stars are strung across the velvety night. And when a shooting star streaks through the blackness turning night into day, make a wish, think of me. Make your life spectacular. I know I did.”
– Robin Williams in ‘Jack‘ –
Header picture courtesy of: ABC7News .
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