Robin Williams’ wife, Susan Schneider, revealed that her husband had “early stages of Parkinson’s disease” in a full statement that she released on Thursday. The statement explained a little bit more about Williams’ struggles, many of which the public knew nothing about. According to The Hollywood Reporter , the actor was always very private and he kept his personal battles close to him. His wife says that he wasn’t yet ready to share his recent diagnosis with the world.
“Robin spent so much of his life helping others. Whether he was entertaining millions on stage, film or television, our troops on the frontlines, or comforting a sick child — Robin wanted us to laugh and to feel less afraid.
“Since his passing, all of us who loved Robin have found some solace in the tremendous outpouring of affection and admiration for him from the millions of people whose lives he touched. His greatest legacy, besides his three children, is the joy and happiness he offered to others, particularly to those fighting personal battles.
“Robin’s sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson’s Disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly.
“It is our hope in the wake of Robin’s tragic passing, that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid.”
Robin Williams was found dead by his personal assistant, Rebecca Erwin Spencer, on Monday. As previously reported by The Inquisitr , the actor was found in a bedroom of his northern Calif. home. He was unresponsive with a belt around his neck , in a seated position in front of the room’s closet. The coroner said that Williams also had cuts on his left wrist, believed to have been self-inflicted using a pocket knife that was found close by. While toxicology reports are still pending, Williams’ cause of death has preliminarily been listed as asphyxia due to hanging.
According to Newsweek , Williams’ publicist, Mara Buxbaum , said that the actor had been seeking ongoing treatment for “severe depression.” It is unknown how often he had been going to treatment, but it was previously reported that he showed up at an AA meeting — sober — on Saturday… just two days before he hanged himself.
This is a tragedy that most people will never forget. Robin Williams was loved by millions of people… and everyone is going to miss him a great deal.
[Photo courtesy of cultoid.com ]
