Earlier this week, we all were shocked and sad to hear that Robin Williams has passed away. Growing up my earliest memory of him was when he lent his voice to Genie in Disney’s Aladdin (ironically one of my first Disney films). Who could forget how he brought the big blue genie to life with his distinctive voice and laugh.Years later I learned that a lot of his lines were actually improvised, this shows just how talented this man was, he didn’t near a script to create humor. Of course one can’t forget to mention Mrs Doubtfire which I still have vivid memories of watching when I was little! Hook and Jumanji are also other huge favorites of mine, As I grew older I became more aware of some of his more serious works such as Dead Poets Society, and Good Will Hunting. On television his guest appearance on Law and Order: SVU was one of his most memorable roles in my opinion,he played the bad guy so well you as a viewer were conflicted on whether he was really guilty or not.
The true tragedy behind his sudden death was the overall cause of it,depression.So many people these days suffer in silence because mental illness is still looked down upon ,and therefore instead of these people seeking help they try to cope on their own with often tragic ending results. I personally believe it’s time that we as a society try to be a little more caring and understanding that mental illness is something that we need to take very seriously and not alienate those who suffer with it on a daily basis. If you see someone who looks like they need help reach out and offer them help, even if its just someone to talk to.The smallest things can add up and make a huge difference in someone’s life. Robin Williams was a talented and funny man who left this world too soon. To those on the news who called his death “cowardly” and “selfish” you try and live with what he must have been feeling every single day of his life.If anything Robin Williams’ death has taught us to open our eyes more and to stop ignoring the problem. It’s sad that it took a celebrity to make this problem come out into the spotlight again when it should not be ignored in the first place.
RIP Mr.Williams you will always be Pan the Man to me and so many others who loved and will still love to watch you on the big screen. ~Tarah Bleier
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