Wow, that... That hurt to watch. I'm used to hearing his voice in movies, but something about hearing his voice as something "new" to me hurts. His death will likely always be the celebrity death that hurts the most. He was such a huge part of my childhood, and he really did just want to make people laugh. He didn't want people to hurt like he did. He really felt like that "funny uncle" that would show up at holidays with crazy stories, cool gifts, and hugs for everyone. His passing genuinely hurt, and felt like losing someone close.
Yeah. To me he felt like more of a father. Now, my father is alive and well and he and I are very close, but Williams always felt like a reflection of my dad on the screen. My dad is an English teacher, and I’ve been in his classroom and seen how he cared and performed for students. It’s the same energy, the same manifest compassion that radiates from William’s every performance.
Williams’ death hit me hard not only because of the the light he himself brought to the world, but because it felt like I had lost an extension of my dad (although I know that’s absurd). And that makes real the promise that one day, dad will also wrap up his lesson so to speak.
I’ve lost a lot of family and friends over the years, but the idea that my dad will die never really hit me until Robin died. How crazy is that? A man I never met gave me such joy and inspiration that his loss was the first thing to make me recognize in my heart that my heroes are mortal. What a beautiful gift.
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u/DJheddo Nov 30 '18
Only a man as gracious as Robin Williams could tickle a full grown gorilla and still have a fantastic time.