14 DAY TRIAL // The entertainment industry is in mourning today, as news emerged that Oscar-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams is dead. He was found in his Marin County home, with the Sheriff’s Coroner division saying suicide is suspected as cause of death.
TMZ spoke to sources close to the family, who say that Williams had been battling severe depression just recently, which might have pushed him to this desperate gesture. In July this year, he checked himself into a Minnesota rehabilitation facility in a bid to stay committed to his sobriety.
In the ‘80s, Robin Williams had struggled with addiction to both drugs (cocaine) and alcohol, and was always very open about it. He relapsed in 2006 and got help, speaking in candid terms about addiction and how overcoming it was an everyday struggle.
The last time he was seen alive was on Sunday evening, at his home, the celebrity e-zine informs. Hours ago, his body was found inside his Marin County house, with reports saying he had asphyxiated himself. His last public appearance was in June, at the San Francisco Zoo.
In a public statement, Robin’s wife of 3 years, Susan Schneider, says, “This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken.”
Shortly after news broke, Williams’ 25-year-old daughter Zelda Rae, tweeted a quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and a message to her father, reading, “I love you. I miss you. I'll try to keep looking up.”
Even the President of the United States, Barack Obama, has issued a statement on what is, without doubt, a worldwide loss, putting into words what millions of fans and hundreds of people who worked with Robin and loved him, must be feeling right now.
“He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets,” Obama says.
Robin Williams was 63 years old and was as beloved as an actor and as a comedian as he was for his charitable work. He has over 100 acting credits in both film and television, and did live performances as well, all of them memorable. He was a great comedian but also a solid drama actor but, more importantly, he was kind and relatable, which made him very popular with audiences of all ages.
Robin is survived by wife Susan and 3 children. He will be missed.
— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) August 12, 2014
