Robin Williams’ Daughter Zelda Tweets Heartbreaking Message

I know I am not alone in saying that the recent passing of beloved actor Robin Williams was a huge shock and very upsetting to hear. Like so many others, I instantly thought of all of the wonderful characters he’s played over the years and all of the ways he brightened our lives and made them better. My next thoughts centered around his family, particularly, his children. Having to process his death privately and then also, see the grief of the world played out over social media must be incredibly difficult. That is why I am both saddened and heartened by Robin’s daughter Zelda Williams’ tweet about her father in response to his passing:

This quote, and Zelda’s own words underneath, brought instant tears- it is so lovely and perfect. Even out of the context of William’s death it is a beautiful and heart-breaking sentiment. It speaks volumes of the kind of parent he must have been that his daughter would post something so eloquent and perfect so soon after his death. When a child loses a parent, it is a very sad thing but when it is in this manner, I’m sure it would be easy to turn to anger and hurt. It sounds to me like Zelda knows her father treasured her and lived to make her laugh. She must have known how deeply he was hurting to have passed in the way that he did. And now, she is thinking of him as a star in the sky, making her and only her laugh- as he did when he was alive.

For all of the movie roles that made him a legend, it sounds as though the role he played best at was “devoted father”. I hope his children understand that when he left this world, he did it because of his pain and his illness. I hope that they realize that he probably would have given anything to feel better- to stay here and be with them. The pull of his depression was so strong that he finally had to give in. As someone who has dealt with even mild depression, I know how hard that struggle can be. Even if everything in your life is “perfect” to the rest of the world, something inside you won’t let you stop feeling this way. I was lucky to find my way out with relative ease and my heart breaks for others who do not have it go similarly. My thoughts and prayers go out to Robin’s family and particularly, to his children. I hope they find peace in the coming weeks and that they “keep looking up”.

(Image: Getty Images)