And really, it is.
But there is one significance to this day that is very important to remember.
Today is the day, two years ago, we lost our beloved Robin Williams.
Yes. The famous actor.
Why is it significant to remember? Well, not only was Robin a huge part of everyone's lives, but he also, post life, is making an impact on millions of people who suffer from anxiety and depression and more.
How, you ask, is he making an impact now?
His death is helping hundreds, if not thousands of people to seek help for their mental disorders.
While there are many things we still don't know about mental health, more people are talking about it. The more we talk about it, the more chances we have of helping each other handle our mental issues.
There is no cure for any of these disorders. I'm talking about things like depression, anxiety, bi polar, schizophrenia, split personality, PTSD, borderline personality, autism, and more. The list is long, and I'm sure there are previously unknown disorders that are being investigated as we speak.
The fact of the matter is, Robin's death put the limelight back onto mental health, and sparked many people to start talking about it again. Suicide didn't kill him- depression killed him.
I have a friend who is currently opening up about her life with borderline personality. She's been struggling with depression, anxiety, suicide attempts, cutting, and more over a number of years. She's been alienated by her own family, and lost friendships. Now she's speaking out, blogging to help relieve some of her own demons, and hoping to help others who are dealing with the same demons, or at least similar ones.
I've blogged about my bout with depression in the past as well. There are many other bloggers who are working daily to help spread the word on mental health, and help other's reach out and get the help they need to survive.
Robin's death surprised many because we didn't know he suffered silently. And that's the problem. There are so many people who suffer silently, and then become lost and forgotten. It's not something that only the rich and famous are dealing with either.
Robin Williams' death affected me more than I thought it possible. I actually met him while filming the movie Jack. It was my senior year of high school, and the local music departments were asked to send some students as extras to film the graduation scene up on Mt. Tamalpias. I was one of a group of my friends from high school that got to go up for a few days and film. The day I was there, I remember hanging around after hair and makeup was done, waiting for the director Francis Ford Coppola to arrive and tell us to take our places. Robin hung out with a bunch of extras, joking with them and acting like he had known them forever. I was too shy to be in that group, lol, but I stood there watching the interactions. I remember thinking how down to earth Robin was, and he didn't care that he was a huge star at that moment. When filming wrapped up, Robin approached every single extra that day- when he got to me, I was speechless. He shook my hand, looked me in the eye and said a simple "Thank you!" I was so star struck I didn't know how to react. But that moment is one of those moments I will never forget. He showed me how humble he really was, and that his stardom didn't affect his true personality one bit. He showed me that every single person was important, even a mere high school extra on a big film production. At one time in my high school career, I had declared I was going to attend every school that Robin attended, and become an actress. That's how much he impacted me.
So, today, August 11th, is a day to remember. We will always remember your fiery personality on film and in person. I will always remember how humble you were and how much you really cared for everyone. Two years later, it's still hard to accept that we won't see any new films of yours.
Thank you Robin Williams! We miss you!
