I haven’t posted anything about the death of Robin Williams mostly because I didn’t know the man, and part of me gets annoyed when people go on and on about celebrity deaths. Sure, they touched our lives, but there are millions of others out there dying that never get our thoughts or prayers just because they weren’t famous, and that feels cruel to me. Still, I found this while I was surfing the web yesterday and it really suck with me. I have had a lot of personal experience with depression and even suicide (not me, but family members) and the following really hit home with me.
“If someone were to die at the age of 63 after a lifelong battle with MS or Sickle Cell, we’d all say they were a “fighter” or an “inspiration.” But when someone dies after a lifelong battle with severe mental illness and drug addiction, we say it was a tragedy and tell everyone “don’t be like him, please seek help.” That’s bullshit. Robin Williams sought help his entire life. He saw a psychiatrist. He quit drinking. He went to rehab. He did this for decades. That’s HOW he made it to 63. For some people, 63 is a fucking miracle. I know several people who didn’t make it past 23 and I’d do anything to have 40 more years with them.”
Ashleigh With a "G" 
I was thinking about posting something myself about the death of my favourite funny man, but I too detest long winded tributes to celebrities by people who did not know them at all. I love this quote you posted because it really captures how I felt about this whole thing and the moronic responses that always breed from these types of deaths (see: Gene Simmons. Or don’t, he is kind of useless). When someone takes their life, you never think about the battle they fought up to that point, just that they were weak or a coward which is so not true. As depression has also touched my life, I feel really strongly about irresponsible comments regarding depression and suicide. It’s a terrible way to die, thinking that you have no other way to find a light, or something to live for. He seemed to be a man with a lot of good in his life, but no one truly knows how you feel inside but yourself. To say that he should have gotten help is ridiculous, because we all know he has! It was a war he felt he couldn’t win, and for the sake of his family, maybe we should let this one go. I actually think that despite his suicide, he should be seen as an example of someone who saw his inner demons ruining his life and sought out help, became sober and had a pretty decent career and made so many people happy. He was a fighter and an inspiration. Let’s remember him that way 🙂 Nanu nanu.
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Well, I think part of the problem is that people think that the person who committed suicide didn’t think about their friends and loved ones. Nothing could be more untrue. Often times the person was only thinking about their loved ones, but the mental illness makes them believe that their loved ones want them dead or would be better off without them. Its sad when light is snuffed too soon and my heart goes out to not only his family but to all those affected by depression and mental illness.
Great comment, as always. 🙂
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