Robin Williams' Son Zak Opens Up On Father's 'Intense Personal Pain'

Jul 22, 2019 by apost team

Legendary actor and comedian Robin Williams would have turned 68 years old yesterday.

His eldest son Zak Williams opened up on the actor's birthday to talk about witnessing the personal struggle Robin Williams dealt with leading up to his death.

On Good Morning Britain, Zak sat down to discuss how his father shut his inner turmoil out to go and perform for the masses.

 "He still went out and wanted to share his feelings of laughter and humor with the world while he was suffering and struggling he still went out and performed," Zak said. In a little less than a month, it will be the fifth anniversary of Williams' death. 

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"I admire him and loved him so, and having to share him [with the world] was hard," Zak added. 

Zak remembered as a child seeing his father go through "what seemed to be intense personal pain," and how it was sad to see someone suffering like that.

"I didn't know what I could do, or how I could be of the best support," Zak explained. "We all loved him so and found it difficult because he wasn't always open to sharing his personal pain and struggle… And we noticed that over a period of time." 

Recently, Zak posed for a suicide awareness campaign, Faces of Fortitude. The project is designed to help bring to light the pain people go through when one of their loved ones take their own lives. According to a post on Instagram by the camplaign, Zak said, 

"There's no education in place to tell you how to deal with this. To balance how to grieve privately with your family and then also to have to grieve publicly. "

In May, Zak and his fiancee Olivia June welcome their first baby boy together. In honor of the late comedian, the couple named the child McLaurin Clement Williams. Mclaurin was Robin's middle name. 

"One of the things both his mom and I are seeking to do is be vulnerable and open in sharing our feelings and love for him in as many ways and at every opportunity because life can feel short," Zak said, "and its really important to share the feelings of love and affection and acknowledgement when you can and have the opportunity to cause it's heard.  

Our hearts go out to the beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams and his family. He will be deeply missed. If you would like to send some thoughts and condolences you can tell us below.