Our generation has not had much of a chance to grow up with our admired actors quite yet. There are only a few that we can say have been part of our lives since the beginning. For me, this small group includes Tom Hanks (thanks for being Woody, Castaway Chuck Noland, Forrest Gump and Walt Disney) and Robin Williams.
To our admired Mr. Williams,
Thank you for being a part of so many lives throughout so many generations. Not many can say they were a favorite in 1978’s “Mork and Mindy” as well as 1992’s “Aladdin” and onward, spanning generations. Coming from my own generation, the tail of the Millennials, you have been an influence on our lives since “Hook” in 1991 where you taught us that even adults, like grown-up Peter Pan, live adventurous lives and that growing up can’t be that bad. In “Aladdin,” 1992, you brought children and their parents to tears of laughter and became a role model, a Genie, to many. In 1993 you were a guardian to countless children exposed to family problems and divorce in “Mrs. Doubtfire.”
You continued your brilliant humor and adventure in 1995 with “Jumanji,” effectively showing kids everywhere to never take for granted the lives they have and to try to understand the motives of the people around them. In 1997 came “Flubber,” where you made millions of children everywhere, including myself, say, “Mom, who’s the funny guy in that flubbery movie?”
We grew up a little, and we came to understand the brilliance behind “Good Will Hunting” of 1997 as well as see two favorites come together on screen (Thanks Matt Damon). 2006 came and so did “Happy Feet,” when we were all pleasantly surprised to hear your familiar voice(s) as both Ramón and Lovelace. In 2007, you appeared as a mentor in “August Rush,” a less comical side of you we hadn’t seen very often, but another amazing performance nonetheless. In 2009, you made “Night at the Museum” lovable as Teddy Roosevelt, as well as in many, many other films experienced by Generation X.
What I’m trying to say, as part of this generation, is thank you. Thank you for being the comfort and laughter we all needed throughout the years and for being a part of our lives from the beginning. You may not have known it, and you certainly didn’t know us, but you influenced countless people in a way very few can.
Grief was felt across the country on Monday, but so was appreciation from extremely grateful people. We can’t thank you enough for the legacy you left with us.
Rest in Peace, Robin Williams
Sincerely,
An avid admirer