Robin Williams’ Friends Recount His Slide Into Depression


Robin Williams, the man who was known for comedy as well as his dramatic and thriller roles, has dominated media coverage after his tragic passing Monday. Mr. Williams’ death is suspected to be suicide.

As The Inquisitr reported, the information released so far claims his death was a result of asphyxiation by hanging with evidence of “several acute transverse cuts “on his left wrist. A few more tests, including a toxicology report, are still to be completed.

Thus far, Robin Williams’ death seemed to be linked to depression. At a time when many are posting remembrances about Mr. Williams life and career, many are trying to piece together or form a reason for why such a warm, funny man who seemed to have it all, felt he had nothing.

Tuesday morning, The Inquisitr reported that some of those close to him stated that his most recent depression had a lot to do with a career that was not going as expected, and “survivor’s guilt.”

“The insider adds that Robin Williams had survivor’s guilt about outliving his three best friends in show business; Christopher Reeve, Andy Kaufman, and John Belushi all died too soon, and it really got to award-winning actor.”

Though Robin Williams was known to have a struggle with cocaine and alcohol, his depression was far less known to the general public. However, his friends and family had seen it in him for a long time.

The Los Angeles Times reported that a friend of over 30 years discussed the slide he witnessed Mr. Williams take that led to his tragic end.

“‘He started to disconnect,’ comedian Rick Overton, a friend of Williams’ since the 1970s, said Tuesday. ‘He wasn’t returning calls as much. He would send texts and things like that, but they would get shorter and shorter.'”

Another long time friend of Robin Williams, Steven Pearl, ran into him at a barbecue just last month and sensed something was not right.

“‘You could just tell something was off,’ Pearl said. ‘He seemed detached. It’s hard to explain. He didn’t seem like his usual self. My fiancee and I were like, ‘Is he OK?’ I didn’t know it would get this dark.'”

Mr. Williams would often laugh off his depression at comedy tours, and poke fun at his declining career. Since 2005, Robin Williams’ career seemed to decline to mere comedy tours, independent films, and supporting rolls such as Teddy Roosevelt in Night at the Museum.

According to the LA Times, Mr. Williams told comedian Marc Maron in 2010 about his slide into alcoholism and depression.

“It’s trying to fill the hole, and it’s fear. You’re going, ‘What am I doing in my career?’ You bottom out…. People say, ‘You have an Academy Award.’ The Academy Award lasted about a week, and then one week later people are going, ‘Hey, Mork!'”

His friend Rick Overton recounted to the LA Times how hard he felt Mr. Williams took the cancellation of his last TV show The Crazy Ones.

“It would hit any of us hard, but especially a heart patient who has depression. The one-two punch of that can make all the difference in the world. He got real quiet. I’ve known those eyes for decades. I know where the spark is supposed to be.'”

June was the the month of his last public appearance, according to the La Times. He made the appearance at the San Francisco Zoo, a place he raised a lot of money for. Despite his ensuing depression, the zoo director recounted Robin Williams’s comical meeting with a “howling monkey.”

“He met the monkey and immediately quipped, ‘Finally, an animal species that is as loud and hairy as I am.'”

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