It was only after Robin Williams’ death that it was determined which illness he was really suffering from. The diagnosis was also a relief for his widow. Today she is committed to better research into the disease.
The death of Robin Williams was a shock to all of Hollywood and all of his fans: in 2014, the famous actor, known for roles in films such as “Dead Poets Society”, “Good Morning, Vietnam” or “Good Will Hunting”, accepted himself had become, life. Williams had suffered from severe depression and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s shortly before his death.
But that was just “the tip of the iceberg,” as his widow Susan Schneider Williams puts it. The 58-year-old spoke about what it was like to find out what illness her husband actually had in a CNN interview. It was only after his death, at an autopsy, that Williams was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a fatal neurodegenerative disease.
Robin Williams unknowingly suffered from Lewy body dementia
This is also characterized by Parkinson’s-like symptoms, but above all the cognitive abilities can vary extremely greatly. In addition, patients often suffer from hallucinations and sleep disorders. Because Lewy body dementia is very similar to Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, misdiagnoses are more common.
“None of the doctors knew that this spirit illness was behind it,” recalls Susan Schneider Williams, who was married to the four-time Oscar winner for almost four years before Robin Williams’ death. “When that came out, it was like finding out the name of my husband’s killer,” she said of the diagnosis in the CNN interview.
Robin Williams’ widow: “Robin wasn’t crazy”
For Schneider Williams, learning the truth about her husband’s illness was an important step in coming to terms with his death. “That’s when my own healing began,” she explains. “We had this experience of something that was invisible and horrifying. On the other hand, there is the science behind it that helps explain this experience. Robin wasn’t crazy. That was always his biggest fear.”
Since the death of her husband, Schneider Williams has been working to create more social awareness of this disease. Among other things, she helped set up a $3 million research grant to study biomarkers of the disease.
Susan Schneider Williams has previously spoken repeatedly about Lewy body dementia, including in a documentary about Robin Williams’ last years. “My husband was unknowingly battling a deadly disease. Almost every region of his brain was affected. He found himself dissolving,” she said at the time. Williams was expected to have died of the disease within three years.
Source:
Do you have suicidal thoughts? The . She can be reached anonymously, free of charge and around the clock on 0 800 / 111 0 111 and 0 800 / 111 0 222. A consultation is also possible. One can be found on the website of the German Society for Suicide Prevention.
For children and young people, the is also available from Monday to Saturday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. – the number is 116 111.
Source: Stern
I am a 24-year-old writer and journalist who has been working in the news industry for the past two years. I write primarily about market news, so if you’re looking for insights into what’s going on in the stock market or economic indicators, you’ve come to the right place. I also dabble in writing articles on lifestyle trends and pop culture news.
