(Photo from www.sowhateverhappenedto.com about Pam Dawber)
I found out about Robin Williams passing after waking up from a nap. My fiancé told me he committed suicide (at time of the writing of this blog that is what the news is saying).
Anyone who is my age or older remembers Robin Williams from Happy Days and Mork and Mindy. Yes the younger generation knows him as Mrs. Doubtfire but I will always remember him fondly as Mork.
In the 70's and 80's the comedy boom was happening, and many of the sitcoms would hire comedians as guest stars on their shows.
In 1983 or 1984 I went to California on a trip. My parents knew some people who worked in the TV and Film industry. We were able to see a few shows on the Paramount Lot. We had front row seats to see Laverne and Shirley and Mork and Mindy. He was hilarious and quick, and yes I owned a pair of rainbow suspenders.
I think this trip was what started my long love with Hollywood, and was one of the reasons I wanted to work in the industry.
Depression.
It is silent, it is painful, and you feel like you are completely alone. It can skew everything around you. You often feel like you cannot talk to anyone about how you feel. It is difficult, and mental illness still carries a huge stigma.
I have written and talked about my battle with depression often. It is not easy to get out of the darkness and think that you can talk about it.
You can, and you should.
There are others who have felt like you do.
With mental illness you are never alone.
There is always help.
There is always hope.
I will remember Robin Williams for the laughs he brought me, not for his tragic death.
I hope you will do the same.
If you think you are depressed or suicidal please get help.
Here are a few links:
I'll leave you with this quote from Robin Williams:
What's right is what's left if you do everything else wrong.
