The day Robin Williams passed away my husband woke me up from an impromptu nap. I had a rough day and I was very tired. The first words I heard from my nap were “Robin Williams passed away”. How? “Apparent suicide” he replied. 

Now I don’t normally get emotional over a celebrity passing, as each life is just as precious, but this hit my quite hard. Robin Williams’ comedic prowess saved me from terrible days. I remember watching The Birdcage to lift my spirits after a hard day. 

Now to the point of this post. Robin Williams was not hit by a car. Robin Williams did not die of a stroke. Robin Williams committed suicide. The question in your mind has to be “Why? Why would someone who was so loved and enjoyed by everyone take their own life”? 

Depression. 

Depression is a silent killer of many. A killer we have swept under the rug for far too long. Can we really, as a country, as a world, sweep this under the rug and say “He was lazy” “He was mentally weak”? “He was alone”? 

He wasn’t alone; he had a family, friends and fans around the world. He had everything in the world to live for…but it is never enough when the black dog comes to bite. Paired with addiction, it is almost an inevitable spiral down into sadness. 

This is why I am here. This is why I do what I do. Because I don’t own a mental health broom and I always have hated sweeping. Depression isn’t something someone can talk themselves out of; it is something people need to help someone through. Every death is a tragedy…but suicide is the grandest tragedy of all. 

To those of you reading this… don’t forget this. Don’t forget what happened to Robin Williams. A comedic genius with seemingly everything one could ever wish for ended his life because he couldn’t pull himself out of the shadows. Talk to your friends, Talk to your Senators, Talk to the people who can make something happen. We need to overcome the stigma of mental illness in order to stop these things from happening. If you or a friend is dealing with depression, please do not be ashamed, always seek help. 

And remember. 

You are worth it.