Commemorating Robin Williams' birthday

CAIRO – 21 July 2017: To many of his fans, the world became a darker place when Robin Williams committed suicide. A man who brought smiles and laughter to millions of people who saw him on the screen hanged himself in his home. No note was left and the reason is believed to be his depression due to struggling with Lewy Body Dementia, a type of dementia that worsens over time and has no permanent cure.

Williams came from a wealthy family and struggled on his own to succeed in the career he chose. He dropped out of college and studied theatre at a community theater for three years. He started as a stand-up comedian.

He also worked his way up from bartending to the stage. Back then, San Francisco was a center for a rock music renaissance, hippies, and drugs. Williams helped lead a renaissance in comedy.

Williams said that partly due to the stress of doing stand-up, he started using drugs and alcohol early in his career. During that period, he was using cocaine - he said it made him paranoid when performing on stage.

Despite the early struggles with drugs and alcohol, Robin Williams had a big heart. He raised $80 million by 2014 for the homeless through participating in Comic Relief USA.

He simply wanted to do something to help those less fortunate. He also made benefit appearances to support literacy, women’s rights and for veterans. He traveled to 13 countries and performed to approximately 100,000 troops.

Although Williams was first recognized as a stand-up comedian and television star, he later became known for acting in roles of substance and serious drama. His on-stage energy and spontaneous skill became a model for a new generation of stand-up comedians. Using his personal issues in his comedy routines was a way to overcome his addictions. His film performances influenced other actors all over the world. The greatest example is his role in “Mrs. Doubtfire,” his performance was unlike anything ever seen on the screen. According to the director it was simply magical. In general, his roles had radical diversity that led the viewers anywhere in the world to grow up.

Other than the Oscar award he won for his role in “Good Will Hunting,” Williams received awards varying between Emmys, Golden Globes and Grammys between 1978 and 2005.

By all means, movies like “Good Morning Vietnam,” “Dead Poet's Society,” “Awakenings,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and many more will be watched over and over by generations to come.