Robin Williams’s Undiagnosed ‘Chemical Warfare’ In His Brain Caused Him Immense Anguish

Jun 07, 2022

The voice of beloved actor Robin Williams echoes through so many childhoods. From "Mrs. Doubtfire" to "Flubber" to "Aladdin," the rambunctious actor is treasured for his work bringing to life one-of-a-kind characters that both delighted and comforted young audiences. With a well-timed flair for the ridiculous, Williams never failed to make the viewer laugh, whether by covering his face in pie topping or by simply expanding on the cramped conditions of a genie's lamp. 

Of course, Williams was also an accomplished dramatic actor. He was celebrated for tackling challenging roles, in films like "Good Morning, Vietnam," "Dead Poets Society," and "Good Will Hunting," with boundless empathy and compassion. Overall, Williams was a multi-faceted performer who easily earns a spot in the echelon of actors who have shaped Hollywood in irreversible ways. He was an incomparable talent and his influence will undoubtedly be felt for decades to come. 

Despite all these gifts, the initial reportage of Williams' death in 2014 was more salacious than they were accurate. Williams' wife, Susan Schneider, gave an interview in 2015, hoping to correct the public record in regards to the actor's tragic passing.

She had spent the year since Williams' death trying to understand what had happened to her husband. In the interview, Schneider revealed details of the actor's final years that brought to light the struggle the great comedian underwent while battling the symptoms of dementia. Williams had been seeking a more detailed diagnosis, due to undergo testing, at the time of his death. Schneider hoped that discussing this publically would help audiences understand how Williams' health had contributed.

Schneider and Williams had married only a few years earlier in 2011. Remembering their union, Schneider recalled, "It's what I always dreamed of a love would be." She continued, tearily, saying their marriage had been "based on just honor love respect." This untroubled happiness was complicated by Williams' emergent health problems. 

Recalling the start of the trouble, Schneider said, "In November of 2013, he had a little gut pain. Next month it was another symptom. It was like this endless parade of symptoms and not all of them would raise their head at once." The complexity of Williams' condition led to his initial misdiagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. The couple struggled to find Williams' help or relief. She recalled, "It was like playing whack-a-mole. Which symptom is it this month?" Williams seemed to be plagued by an unspecific onslaught of anguish physically and mentally. Schneider remembers questioning what was happening, saying, "I thought, was my husband a hypochondriac? We're chasing it- there are no answers...we tried everything." 

More worrying was Williams' mounting confusion and inability to function unaided, leading Schneider to question whether her husband was safe on his own. Schneider remembered one occasion, saying "I was in the shower and all of a sudden I saw him, lingering at the sink for a while. Something didn't seem right and I opened up the door and there was blood. This towel was so soaked with blood and he was just downing his head. I just screamed, 'Robin.' What happened? What did you do?" He had "miscalculated." 

Schneider recounted the moment, saying, "He pointed to the door and I said did you hit your head and he nodded. His only response was, 'I miscalculated.'" The actor was clearly struggling. Schneider went on to describe how what "was going on inside of his brain" at that time was a kind of "chemical warfare that no one knew about." As his wife, Schneider saw Williams suffer. She said, "My best friend was sinking." 

Williams' autopsy would later confirm that the actor was suffering from Lewy body dementia, a debilitating brain disorder that affects movement, mood, thinking, and behavior. Dr. Dan Kaufer, director of the UNC Memory Disorders Program, expanded on the diagnosis for the interview, commenting, "Lewy body dementia is a complex disorder with many different presentations. You can see very dramatic effects in thinking emotions and behavior."

Finally given a definitive diagnosis, Schneider felt the condition clarified much of her husband's struggles in his final months. On realizing how the disease contributed, she said, "Lewy body dementia killed Robin. It's what took his life. And that's what I've spent the last year trying to get to the bottom of what took my husband's life." When asked if she felt Williams was “losing his mind” as a result of the LBD, she responded, "Yes, absolutely. And he was aware of it he was keeping it together as best as he could but the last month he could not. It was like the dam broke." She continued, saying, "And I don't blame him one bit."

Schneider continued, explaining how her husband had been scheduled for further neological testing when he died. While the actor had been well-aware of his deteriorating health, Schneider said her husband still was "not yet ready to share publicly" the results of his diagnosis. The couple was privately navigating their changed lives when Williams' passed. 

Schneider recalled that night, saying, "I was getting in bed...and he said 'good night, my love' And I said, 'good night, my love.' and then it came back again." Williams had been fiddling with his iPad, expressing that deeply human frustration with technology, and Schneider had thought "he's getting better." Williams then "said, 'good night, good night' that was the last."

After his death, Schneider released a statement touching on her husband's inner conflicts, saying, "[Robin Williams'] greatest legacy, besides his three children, is the joy and happiness he offered to others, particularly to those fighting personal battles." She continued, speaking to those who may be in a similar situation to her husband, adding, "It is our hope in the wake of Robin's tragic passing, that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid."

While the events of that night and the following morning will undoubtedly color Schneider's memories of her late husband, she also fondly recalled her time off-screen with a man who so many knew only when he was in front of the camera. Recalling their time together, she said, "My favorite movie of Robin Williams was Robin Williams being a human being, not an actor... best movie in the world."

What is your favorite memory of watching a Robin Williams movie? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, and fellow "Mork & Mindy" fans!

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