Robin Williams Wife Releases Statement Revealing The Comedian’s Parkinson’s Diagnosis

Susan Schneider, wife of the late Robin Williams, has release an official statement on his passing.

Just yesterday, Williams’ daughter Zelda Williams released her own heartfelt statement and announced she’d be leaving social media after some horrific abuse directed her way. It was so bad Twitter made an official statement saying they’d be doing some serious overhaul on their harassment and abuse policies. But now her stepmother, Williams’ wife, has released her own statement. Fair warning, it’s another tough one to read.

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.

There’s already been a ton of discussion surrounding Williams’ death as it pertains to mental health and I can only imagine the conversations which will now unfold thanks to this revelation. My only hope is it remains as respectful as possible while spreading facts to the most people.

(via Deadline)

Previously in Robin Williams

• Broadway’s Aladdin Leads Audience In “Friend Like Me” Singalong In Honor of Robin Williams
• Fan Petition to Memorialize Robin Williams With World of Warcraft NPC Succeeds
• The Mary Sue Remembers Robin Williams With Some of Our Favorite Scenes

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Jill Pantozzi

Jill Pantozzi is a pop-culture journalist and host who writes about all things nerdy and beyond! She’s Editor in Chief of the geek girl culture site The Mary Sue (Abrams Media Network), and hosts her own blog “Has Boobs, Reads Comics” (TheNerdyBird.com). She co-hosts the Crazy Sexy Geeks podcast along with superhero historian Alan Kistler, contributed to a book of essays titled “Chicks Read Comics,” (Mad Norwegian Press) and had her first comic book story in the IDW anthology, “Womanthology.” In 2012, she was featured on National Geographic’s "Comic Store Heroes," a documentary on the lives of comic book fans and the following year she was one of many Batman fans profiled in the documentary, "Legends of the Knight."

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