LOS ANGELES - Late Hollywood actor Robin Williams will live on in the kingdom of Azeroth after ‘World of Warcraft’ said Thursday that he would be honored as a character in the popular video game.
Williams, a renowned comedian and avid gamer, was known to be a fan of the online fantasy role-playing game. He was found dead Monday of an apparent suicide at the age of 63.
‘We haven’t decided, but it will most likely be a character inspired by him or some of his favorite roles of the past,’ lead game designer Ion Hazzikostas was cited by local media as saying during a Los Angeles event unveiling the game’s fifth edition, ‘World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor.’ Williams had even named his daughter Zelda in reference to Nintendo’s ‘Legend of Zelda’ game. ‘@robinwilliams Thank you. You gave us so much joy in our lives, and we hope you enjoyed your time in our world. We’ll see you in-game,’ World of Warcraft’s official Twitter page said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, actor Robin Williams, found dead this week after an apparent suicide, was suffering from depression and the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, his wife said Thursday. The beloved comedian’s personal assistant found Williams hanging from his belt in a bedroom of his California home on Monday, sparking speculation about his long public battle with addiction. But Susan Schneider, issuing a statement through an agency, said the 63-year-old’s most recent problems had been with his mental health and with Parkinson’s, a degenerative nerve disorder.
‘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,’ she said. ‘Robin’s sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson’s Disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly.’ The coroner of Marin County, outside San Francisco, has opened an inquiry into the death, but has confirmed it as a suspected suicide, pending toxicology reports. ‘Robin spent so much of his life helping others,’ Schneider said. ‘Whether he was entertaining millions on stage, film or television, our troops on the frontlines or comforting a sick child - Robin wanted us to laugh and to feel less afraid. ‘His greatest legacy, besides his three children, is the joy and happiness he offered to others, particularly to those fighting personal battles,’ she added.
Parkinson’s is a disease that affects nerve cells in the part of the brain that controls muscle movement, causing tremors and muscle rigidity, as well as problems with balance and coordination. Researchers are still trying to unravel the causes of the disease, which shows up more often in men than women. There is no cure - though there are treatments available to mitigate the symptoms. Typically, the disorder first appears after age 60, though in rare cases onset can be sooner - as was the case for actor Michael J. Fox, who has become an outspoken advocate for Parkinson’s awareness, and was diagnosed in 1991 at age 30.