Robin Williams' Wife Says He Thought Marriage Was Over While Battling Lewy Body Dementia
Following theories of bankruptcy, drug issues, and other false rumors, Robin Williams’ wife, Susan Schneider Williams, is speaking out about what really happened to her husband.
In an interview on the “Today” show on Tuesday, the late actor’s widow discussed the new documentary “Robin’s Wish” that depicts his battle with Lewy body dementia, which ultimately led to his suicide in 2014.
The illness, also known as dementia with Lewy bodies, is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer’s disease dementia, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The Lewy bodies, which are called protein deposits, develop in nerve cells located in regions of the brain that control thinking, memory, and movement. The progressive decline in mental abilities causes some to experience depression, visual hallucinations, and changes in alertness and attention.
Schneider Williams told “Today” anchor Hoda Kotb that her husband realized something wasn’t quite right internally. However, when he sought professional help, doctors advised him to sleep in a separate bed away from his wife to help with his insomnia.
“He said to me, ‘Does this mean we’re separated?’” she recalled. “That was a really shocking moment. When your best friend, your partner, your love — you realize that there’s a giant chasm somewhere, and you can’t see where it is but that’s just not based in reality. That was a hard moment.”
Unfortunately, doctors misdiagnosed Williams, and his wife didn’t learn of his Lewy body dementia until years after his death.
“Robin and I knew there was so much more going on. Robin was right when he said to me, ‘I just want to reboot my brain.’ In that moment, I promised him that we would get to the bottom of this. I just didn’t know that would be after he passed.”
“Robin’s Wish” is now available to rent and own on-demand.
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