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“Robin Williams Didn’t Kill Himself”: This Person Wants People To Stop Using The Actor As A ‘Suicide Awareness’ Case
Actor and Oscar winner Robin Williams passed away on the 11th of August, 2014. His death, however, remains a hot topic. Recently, Imgur user Nonameisthatfrench posted his thoughts, saying that “we need to stop using Robin Williams as a case for ‘suicide awareness'” and it quickly went viral. The main thoughts they’ve presented come from a publication in the journal Neurology, written by the actor’s widow, Susan Schneider Williams.
Titled ‘The terrorist inside my husband’s brain,’ her personal piece provides a detailed explanation of what exactly Robin was suffering from. “Robin is and will always be a larger-than-life spirit who was inside the body of a normal man with a human brain,” Susan wrote. “He just happened to be that 1 in 6 who is affected by brain disease.” (Facebook cover image: Rune Hellestad )
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We need to stop using Robin Williams as a case for ‘suicide awareness’
Image credits: Peggy Sirota
“Robin was losing his mind and he was aware of it. Can you imagine the pain he felt as he experienced himself disintegrating? And not from something he would ever know the name of, or understand? Neither he, nor anyone could stop it—no amount of intelligence or love could hold it back.”
He had dementia with Lewy body disease. He didn’t spontaneously commit suicide due to mental illness, it was self-inflicted euthanasia
On May 28th, Williams was diagnosed with Parkinson disease. “When we were in the neurologist’s office learning exactly what this meant, Robin had a chance to ask some burning questions. He asked, “Do I have Alzheimer’s? Dementia? Am I schizophrenic?” The answers were the best we could have gotten: No, no, and no. There were no indications of these other diseases. It is apparent to me now that he was most likely keeping the depth of his symptoms to himself.”
But that wasn’t the end of it. Throughout his battle, Robin had experienced nearly all of the 40-plus symptoms of Lewy body disease (LBD). “Robin’s was one of the worst LBD pathologies [medical professionals] had seen and that there was nothing else anyone could have done.”
“But would having a diagnosis while he was alive really have made a difference when there is no cure? We will never know the answer to this. I am not convinced that the knowledge would have done much more than prolong Robin’s agony while he would surely become one of the most famous test subjects of new medicines and ongoing medical trials. Even if we experienced some level of comfort in knowing the name, and fleeting hope from temporary comfort with medications, the terrorist was still going to kill him. There is no cure and Robin’s steep and rapid decline was assured.”
“The massive proliferation of Lewy bodies throughout his brain had done so much damage to neurons and neurotransmitters that in effect, you could say he had chemical warfare in his brain.”
“After months and months, I was finally able to be specific about Robin’s disease. Clinically he had PD, but pathologically he had diffuse LBD. The predominant symptoms Robin had were not physical—the pathology more than backed that up. However, you look at it—the presence of Lewy bodies took his life.”
People had a lot to say about Robin’s case
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What do you think ?
diane a 6 years ago (edited)
Fully in favour of "right to die" - to be treated as compassionately as we treat our sick pets when there is no hope and life is unbearable. People shouldnt have to jump through hoops and spend a fortune (that some may not have) to die in a foreign country.
Pumbaa 6 years ago
!!! I really don't get why we don't have the right over our own life. That's horrible and no freedome at all.
Load More Replies...
diane a 6 years ago (edited)
One of the issues regarding assisted suicide in the UK is that the person could be influenced by family members for their own gain. The opposite argument is also possible. People can pay up to £10,000 to travel to a Swiss clinic. For a person with limited financial means there is always the possibility that they may be discouraged from spending a large proportion of a potential "inheritance" on what they wish by those who would benefit from it in the near future.
Bobbi Newell 6 years ago (edited)
Influence by family members, and the feeling of duty to not be a burden, were arguments used by right to die opponents in Oregon in 1994 when the measure first passed, and then in 1997 when the repeal was rejected. Maybe there are people who would abuse it, but terminally ill patients are surrounded by people invested in their care, and the euthanasia process has controls in place to mitigate abuses. The thing about legal right to die is that it puts the patient in control of their condition. They now have the option to choose when it's time, instead of that being dictated by a disease.
Load More Replies...
dharding@klbschool.org.uk 6 years ago
I buried my Dads body on Monday this week. I say body because my Dad actually died about 18 months ago, with the onset of vascular dementia, with lewey bodies and traits of Parkinsons. I truly would not wish it Adolf Hitler. We need to start changing the laws regarding preserving life at all cost, as he was cured of pneumonia 5 times before he died, which used to be called ' The old peoples friend'...
Taru-Elaari 6 years ago
I'm really sorry you (and your dad) had to go through that. It honestly baffles me that we call it inhumane to let animals suffer and yet we literally force humans to endure all manner of awful deaths. I know it means little but have a heartfelt {hug} from an internet stranger.
Load More Replies...
Nicole Antoku 6 years ago
When I was a teenager, I had a summer job at a nearby retirement home. There there was a man who was completely bedridden and you could tell right away that he was very ill. I still have no idea what was wrong with him. He couldn’t speak, but he would grunt at you. His movements were extremely limited, but I was still warned against coming to near to his bed because he would grab you and hold on to you if you got close enough. Even his wife and daughters knew that he wanted to die and that he would end it if he could. I remember following the nurse in there one day to help her check on him because he was having a bad fever. She gave him some shots and then sighed and turned to me “All he wants is to die, and we’re over here forcing him to stay alive.”. I knew she would have let him pass if she could, but the law forbid her to, all she could do was keeping giving him medications that he didn’t want and try to make him as comfortable as possible.
Nicole Antoku 6 years ago
(Cont.) My last day working there, I was doing the rounds with another one of the care staff when we arrived in his room. He was lying completely motionless and silent and we both thought that he had passed. She went to check his pulse and he immediately woke up and started grunting at her again. That was almost 17 years ago and I know he has passed by now, but that imagine of him is something I have never been able to shake. When we found him that day and thought he was gone, we both felt a mixture of sadness and relief for him. When he woke back up again, we just felt sad. Euthanasia really should be legal. Letting someone suffer like that is what should be illegal.
Load More Replies...
Carol Emory 6 years ago (edited)
As one who has a father in the late stages of Alzheimer's, I am frustrated that a right to die law isn't in effect in the USA. My father made it perfectly clear that he did not want to be kept alive in this state because he didn't want his kids putting their lives on hold for him the way he had to when his mother was stricken with the same illness. He was a proud man that wanted to be known for his strength and the way he took care of those around him. To force him to be in this state of constant fear because he doesn't know where he is, who these people are that take care of him or why he's unable to take care of himself is cruel. I'm angry that our laws and our country are forcing my father to suffer!
William Burkin 6 years ago
He had dementia with Lewy body disease, which caused him to commit suicide. Not really controversial.
Meowton Mewsk 6 years ago
It’s not controversial, it’s misunderstood and misconstrued.
Load More Replies...
Carla Olavarría 6 years ago
i don´t think there´s a difference here, suicide because of any reason is your choice, an it should become a human right. you have the right to live, you should have also the right to die. it doesn´t matter if you are suffering from a physical disease or a mental one. who is entitled to say which kind of suffering is worse? or which illness justifies you wanting to die? and which ones don´t?
xaspsx 6 years ago
All suicide is euthanasia. I say this as a multiple attempt survivor. Just because I am only 30 and the mental pain I live in daily is 'invisible' (ie. people, including health professionals, simply ignore, belittle and stigmatise it) doesn't mean that I have a quality of life worth living. It's been lifeling for me with almost no chance of recovery. Yet when I eventually die by my own hand you'll call it suicide and say it was selfish and a choice because it's my mind that is diseased and not my organic brain tissue.
CrazyCatLady 6 years ago
In the Netherlands Euthanasia is allowed, but the problem with any form of dementia is that before hand you know when it's been enough. But when that time comes, the person needs to anwser that question again, which is (in most cases) impossible. So now they tape it, and can fall back on that when the time is there. Euthanasia is also allowed in case of mental illness, but that is an even more difficult issue, maybe video footage could also be a good solution.
diane a 6 years ago (edited)
Fully in favour of "right to die" - to be treated as compassionately as we treat our sick pets when there is no hope and life is unbearable. People shouldnt have to jump through hoops and spend a fortune (that some may not have) to die in a foreign country.
Pumbaa 6 years ago
!!! I really don't get why we don't have the right over our own life. That's horrible and no freedome at all.
Load More Replies... diane a 6 years ago (edited)
One of the issues regarding assisted suicide in the UK is that the person could be influenced by family members for their own gain. The opposite argument is also possible. People can pay up to £10,000 to travel to a Swiss clinic. For a person with limited financial means there is always the possibility that they may be discouraged from spending a large proportion of a potential "inheritance" on what they wish by those who would benefit from it in the near future.
Bobbi Newell 6 years ago (edited)
Influence by family members, and the feeling of duty to not be a burden, were arguments used by right to die opponents in Oregon in 1994 when the measure first passed, and then in 1997 when the repeal was rejected. Maybe there are people who would abuse it, but terminally ill patients are surrounded by people invested in their care, and the euthanasia process has controls in place to mitigate abuses. The thing about legal right to die is that it puts the patient in control of their condition. They now have the option to choose when it's time, instead of that being dictated by a disease.
Load More Replies... dharding@klbschool.org.uk 6 years ago
I buried my Dads body on Monday this week. I say body because my Dad actually died about 18 months ago, with the onset of vascular dementia, with lewey bodies and traits of Parkinsons. I truly would not wish it Adolf Hitler. We need to start changing the laws regarding preserving life at all cost, as he was cured of pneumonia 5 times before he died, which used to be called ' The old peoples friend'...
Taru-Elaari 6 years ago
I'm really sorry you (and your dad) had to go through that. It honestly baffles me that we call it inhumane to let animals suffer and yet we literally force humans to endure all manner of awful deaths. I know it means little but have a heartfelt {hug} from an internet stranger.
Load More Replies... Nicole Antoku 6 years ago
When I was a teenager, I had a summer job at a nearby retirement home. There there was a man who was completely bedridden and you could tell right away that he was very ill. I still have no idea what was wrong with him. He couldn’t speak, but he would grunt at you. His movements were extremely limited, but I was still warned against coming to near to his bed because he would grab you and hold on to you if you got close enough. Even his wife and daughters knew that he wanted to die and that he would end it if he could. I remember following the nurse in there one day to help her check on him because he was having a bad fever. She gave him some shots and then sighed and turned to me “All he wants is to die, and we’re over here forcing him to stay alive.”. I knew she would have let him pass if she could, but the law forbid her to, all she could do was keeping giving him medications that he didn’t want and try to make him as comfortable as possible.
Nicole Antoku 6 years ago
(Cont.) My last day working there, I was doing the rounds with another one of the care staff when we arrived in his room. He was lying completely motionless and silent and we both thought that he had passed. She went to check his pulse and he immediately woke up and started grunting at her again. That was almost 17 years ago and I know he has passed by now, but that imagine of him is something I have never been able to shake. When we found him that day and thought he was gone, we both felt a mixture of sadness and relief for him. When he woke back up again, we just felt sad. Euthanasia really should be legal. Letting someone suffer like that is what should be illegal.
Load More Replies... Carol Emory 6 years ago (edited)
As one who has a father in the late stages of Alzheimer's, I am frustrated that a right to die law isn't in effect in the USA. My father made it perfectly clear that he did not want to be kept alive in this state because he didn't want his kids putting their lives on hold for him the way he had to when his mother was stricken with the same illness. He was a proud man that wanted to be known for his strength and the way he took care of those around him. To force him to be in this state of constant fear because he doesn't know where he is, who these people are that take care of him or why he's unable to take care of himself is cruel. I'm angry that our laws and our country are forcing my father to suffer!
William Burkin 6 years ago
He had dementia with Lewy body disease, which caused him to commit suicide. Not really controversial.
Meowton Mewsk 6 years ago
It’s not controversial, it’s misunderstood and misconstrued.
Load More Replies... Carla Olavarría 6 years ago
i don´t think there´s a difference here, suicide because of any reason is your choice, an it should become a human right. you have the right to live, you should have also the right to die. it doesn´t matter if you are suffering from a physical disease or a mental one. who is entitled to say which kind of suffering is worse? or which illness justifies you wanting to die? and which ones don´t?
xaspsx 6 years ago
All suicide is euthanasia. I say this as a multiple attempt survivor. Just because I am only 30 and the mental pain I live in daily is 'invisible' (ie. people, including health professionals, simply ignore, belittle and stigmatise it) doesn't mean that I have a quality of life worth living. It's been lifeling for me with almost no chance of recovery. Yet when I eventually die by my own hand you'll call it suicide and say it was selfish and a choice because it's my mind that is diseased and not my organic brain tissue.
CrazyCatLady 6 years ago
In the Netherlands Euthanasia is allowed, but the problem with any form of dementia is that before hand you know when it's been enough. But when that time comes, the person needs to anwser that question again, which is (in most cases) impossible. So now they tape it, and can fall back on that when the time is there. Euthanasia is also allowed in case of mental illness, but that is an even more difficult issue, maybe video footage could also be a good solution.
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