The outpouring of reaction to the news last night that Robin Williams had been found dead reveals just how much joy the 63-year-old comedian brought to so many, and so today we mark his passing and powerful legacy in today's 5 Things:
1. We fell in love with him on the small screen. And by "we," we mean viewers not just in the United States, but around the world--an alien in our living rooms who never failed to make us smile. "Nanu nanu."
2. We fell in love with him again on the silver screen--a career so wide-ranging, with so many unforgettable characters: Popeye, Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Cadillac Man, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Birdcage (a personal favorite in Miami!), and Good Will Hunting for which he would win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
3. There is more Robin Williams to come: some six films in release or in post-production featuring Williams posthumously, including his final voice role--a voice perhaps made most famous as the Genie in Aladdin.
4. We also love his stand up! And, more importantly, he put that stand up and his stardom to charitable use in the comic relief programming that often helped the homeless, and performing with the USO for troops in combat.
5. Robin Williams leaves behind a family--his wife Susan Schneider and three children from two previous marriages: a daughter Zelda and sons Zachary and Cody.
We will be learning more about what happened to Robin Williams in the days to come, but his battle against depression and addiction were well known. It is a battle that is shared by so many, either directly or indirectly, and so it's important we all remember to be kind to everyone because you cannot know what battle someone is fighting.