Things Found At Celebrity Death Scenes

Throughout his illustrious career, Robin Williams was ever the tragicomic hero. The sadness that Williams imparted to even his most madcap roles was likely a reflection of the depression he struggled with for many years. A 2010 interview with The Guardian noted that Williams appeared overcome by a pervasive sadness. "It's just literally being afraid," he said of his struggles with alcohol misuse. "And you think, oh, this will ease the fear. And it doesn't. ... It's just a general all-round arggghhh. It's fearfulness and anxiety."

Four years later, in August 2014, Williams died by suicide at age 63 in his California home. The death scene painted a harrowing picture of the actor's final moments. Investigators found crumpled bed sheets, black sneakers, an iPad, antidepressants, and a bloodied pocketknife. It later transpired that Williams, who had been misdiagnosed with Parkinson's, actually had Lewy body dementia, a neurological disease that can drastically alter one's behavior. In Williams' case, the disease led to uncontrollable anxiety, stress, and insomnia.

Speaking to The Guardian, the actor's widow, Susan Schneider, said that her husband's health had been gradually worsening in the lead-up to his suicide, with his posthumous diagnosis helping to elucidate this decline. "I didn't even know what Lewy bodies were, but I said: 'No, I'm not surprised,'" she explained. "The fact that something had infiltrated every part of my husband's brain? That made perfect sense." Had Williams received the correct diagnosis, Schneider suggested that he could have been treated and lived.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

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