Fans share their memories of Robin Williams, seven years after his passing

Remembering the ‘Mrs Doubtfire’ star, who passed away seven years today in 2014

Robin Williams was arguably one of the greatest comedians to ever live. The trailblazing comedian starred in films like Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire and Good Will Hunting.

He passed away by suicide at the age of 63 in 2014 following a misdiagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (an autopsy revealed he was unknowingly living with Lewy body dementia).

Today, fans have been sharing their heartwarming memories of the star seven years after his passing, with film extras and fans apparently remembering their personal, off-camera moments with the comedian in a series of Reddit posts, according to Buzzfeed.

One actor from Dead Poets Society said Williams entertained an auditorium of 400 children, who were extras, on the last day of shooting the film in 1989. “I got to meet him again and told him how much I appreciated what he did on set, and he said, ‘Hey, I appreciate what YOU did’. Just a kind, sweet man.”

Williams performed a number of standup sets to the American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq throughout the 2000s. One trauma hospital worker remembers the comedian performing a set in Afghanistan, then staying another hour taking pictures and signing autographs. “Before he left, he asked if I enjoyed the show, and when I said yes, he said, ‘Good, ‘cause you seemed extra sad today”.

Another fan recalls bumping into him at the Bahamas airport in the 1980s. He spent time with the fan’s grandmother, patting her hand and making conversation. "She introduced him to all of us, and he smiled and was very patient. I’ll never forget it because it made her so happy," they recalled.

Recently, music producer Mark Ronson recalls his first impression of meeting Robin Williams.

Williams, who would have been 70 on 21 July, was also remembered by his son Zac Williams in a Tweet on his father’s birthday: "Today would be 70. Missing you especially much today. Love you always, evermore."

Williams was nominated for four Academy Awards during his lifetime, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Good Will Hunting. He received a Golden Globe Award for best actor in Mrs. Doubtfire. The actor was known for his insightful words. Williams once said: “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world”.