Robin Williams – the world has lost its own Peter Pan

As a very young adult, I watched a goofy TV show called "Mork and Mindy," in which this hilarious alien lands, in an egg-ship, on earth and befriends a young woman named Mindy.

The show would be considered silly by today's standards, which embraces more blood, gore and sex on TV than comedy – but I loved it. Moreover, I loved Robin Williams.

I had always wanted to be an actress, but never had the courage to become one. I always had so much respect for those who pursued that dream, especially those who were comedians. Laughter is one of the greatest stress relievers there is – it brings joy, abundance and helps you forget about  your troubles, if only for a few moments.

Robin Williams was genius at bringing laughter to each person who witnessed his comedy. He was quick on the draw, his repertoire was fast and deep-rooted. Whether he was on a talk show, entertaining the troops, being interviewed on the fly or simply acting in a movie, his wit was fast and always funny.

I've seen many of his movies, but not all of them. I preferred the funny Robin over the serious one. Just my preference – it has no bearing on his acting ability, which I believe was outstanding in every way.

Robin Williams with that Peter Pan-ish
mischievous look that was his signature.

His performance in Mrs. Doubtfire stands out as one of his best comedic performances and I've seen that movie a hundred times. His turn as the ultimate young boy in Peter Pan is yet another performance where he took a serious role and turned it back toward childhood, showing we really never should grow up.

Williams was Patch Adams, and I believe he played Teddy Roosevelt better than the man himself in Night at the Museum. His character of Seymour Parrish in One Hour Photo was terrifyingly real – he could play a psycho very easily, channeling his tenacious wit into an obsessive/compulsive fatal attraction character.

There was no other actor who could have played Popeye except Williams. Then there were the animated movies, Aladdin and Happy Feet, to name a few – even when he was putting on an accent, you knew it was Williams in the role. No one could ever duplicate him.

I tried to watch his recent TV show, The Crazy Ones, last season – being the dedicated fan that I am, but found Williams the only entertaining part of that show. If he couldn't be himself, whether funny or serious – it just didn't work.

The man faced demons all his life, like so many others who are artists, it seems as if you aren't the best if you aren't just a little "off" in the head. You can have great success, money, fame – the best novels, best acting career, best paintings – but the caveat is the torture you go through inside your head.

Williams wasn't the first and he won't be the last.

I am saddened that he made it 63 years and gave up. Did he know how many of us? How many hundreds of thousands of us loved him? We loved him for his humor, his sadness, the great joy he brought to us no matter what he was doing.

If anything, I pray that Williams' untimely death by his own hand brings light and attention to the many who suffer from depression, addiction and other mental illnesses. I have been there and I know so many others who have as well.

There is a way out that doesn't include death. This year alone I had two friends reach out to me who were considering suicide. I reacted to both contacts immediately and both are still with us, though sadly, one will no longer speak to me because I interfered.

Call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Life is to be valued and treasured. Who knows how many lives may now be saved because Williams took his own.

I will forever look at the man as the boy who just didn't want to grow up – Peter Pan. He's flown off to Never Never Land, where he can play with the Lost Boys and hang with Tinker Bell, somewhere "second star to the right and straight on till morning."

So long Robin, we will miss you. Na-Nu, Na-Nu