Inside Robin Williams’ final days – stress, body pain and unknown illnesses

Robin Williams brought heartache to the world when he took his own life back in 2014.

The Ms Doubtfire and Good Morning Vietnam actor had been one of the most important figures of the late 20th century’s cinema. His ability to convey humour and sincerity in the same breath endeared him to millions of people at the box office, bringing him an unprecedented amount of fame.

But behind the scenes, Williams was struggling as he battled his inner demons for decades. By the end of his life, the effect of this war against supposed depression was taking its toll and eventually, Robin called time on his life, dying at the age of just 63.

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So, as the world continues to mourn the loss of one of the greatest comedic actors of all time, Daily Star looks at the final few days of Robin Williams’ life.

Physical pain

At the end of 2013, Robin began working on Night At the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. It was the third instalment of the franchise, working with long-time co-star Ben Stiller in the process.

However, this would eventually turn out to be his last on-screen role, as he had began to forget his lines and become frustrated with himself more and more. He also began to suffer from a number of physical ailments – all of which seemed to be independent of each other.

Amongst the many illnesses he began to battle, he was suffering from indigestion, stomach cramps and constipation. The problems also affected his mental wellbeing, as his pain would cause him to get little to no sleep.

The numerous problem he had with his health were getting so bad towards the end of his life that he was struggling to go to the toilet, or even see. It was later revealed in his post-mortem that he had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disease which causes the eventual loss of muscle and tissue, which made his mobility so painful.

Stress and weight loss

As he began to struggle under the numerous illnesses he was battling, Robin began to panic, for fear he may lose his career. He soon began to push through the pain and continue to work – against the advice of friends and family – as it had been a way for him to work through previous problems with his health.

However, this proved to be a poor decision, as when he was not working, anxiety and stress seemed to envelop his being. Robin’s make-up artist at the time recalled: “If he wasn’t working, he was a shell of himself. And when he worked, it was like a light bulb was turned on.”

Moving to Vancouver, Robin began to lose weight dramatically and, when paired with his unknown Parkinson’s disease, made his immobility harder to disguise. The Dead Poets’ Society star would soon start to lose control of his body, something that would go on to cause him great distress and the decline of his mental health.

Anxiety, ‘depression’ and dementia

Throughout the last months of his life, Robin would eventually be immersed in anxiety and paranoia as he tried to salvage his career. He would regularly break down in the weeks leading up to his death, lamenting that he did not “how to be funny anymore”.

As his life became more and more consumed with panic attacks and insomnia, his family became more concerned for his wellbeing, as there had no concrete explanation as to what was causing the decline. He increasingly appeared lamenting to his friends and family, overthinking and self-deprecating towards the end of his life, leading many to believe he had depression.

After he took his life, a toxicology report found no traces of alcohol within his system. Instead, it was revealed that his cause of death was diffuse Lewy body dementia, a neurodegenerative disease that triggered all of the issues he was facing, including his bodily pains as well as his mental anguish.

Robin’s death sparked a wave of tributes to the actor, with millions mourning the loss of the Good Will Hunting star. Speaking about her late husband in 2021, widow Susan Schneider Williams said: “Robin still tends to show up when I need him, but when he’s not there, I think of my friend, my love and I miss him.”

For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk