The news of Robin Williams death last week has hit everyone quite hard. He was a great talent and I have never read anything negative about the man. He was indeed a kind soul! He gave people joy and touched our hearts w/ many of the characters he has played on screen! So it only seems right to share a story of how he touched my life personally w/ out ever meeting him, and end w/ a top ten from his film catalog.
As a kid I was sick all the time. I had chronic lung problems that made things like going outside to play difficult, and would normally lay me up for a week or longer. I had been diagnosed w/ asthma, which isn't anything uncommon for kids then or now. In fact, I was told I had a mild case, and that it could be managed. The problem was that over the years it just seemed to keep getting worse. It was nothing for me to miss 60 days of school per year. Finally, It got so bad that I had reached the end of the medications I could take to get better. There was no other recommendation the doctor could make but for me to have lung surgery. My parents and I were told that from years of having chronic infection, the middle part of my right lung had to removed. The alternative was living in the hospital for a week every time I got sick, so we went w/ the the surgery.
The day of surgery came and went, and I was nervous about it... after it was over, it was the worst pain I have ever experienced. The first week was really difficult because my body felt completely different inside and out and it hurt on top of everything else... It literally felt as if someone reached inside me and ripped part of my lung out, but in an extremely violent horror film type of way! Anyway, I was told to do all these exercises to avoid "frozen shoulder," which happened by not using your muscles properly after a major surgery like to one I went through. I had been home for maybe a week in a half or or two weeks healing at my grandma's house, and for some reason I had made plans to go visit my uncle Steve up in West Lafayette, IN. I don't know how or why I did it, but my brother and I went and stayed w/ him for the weekend, and I was not feeling well at all. My side hurt so bad.
To this day I credit Robin Williams and my uncle Steve for getting me back to were I was at least speed walking on the road to recovery. One of the main things I remember is Steve taking us see Mrs. Doubtfire, and all I remember is laughing hysterically the whole film... And I mean hard... I was in tears from the pain in my side, but mostly from how funny Robin Williams was in the film... It hurt so bad, but It felt so good to laugh after all the stress I had felt in the months leading up to surgery and the years of always being sick. I was seriously laughing so hard I was afraid I was going to rip my stitches!!! The next day, my side felt a little better, and I was still thinking about the line "it was a drive by fruiting" and laughing all the way to the gym. That's right, my uncle took me to shoot baskets at the "corec" which was a big work out facility for the Purdue students to use. I squared up for a 20 footer for my first shot, despite my uncle encouraging me to move in a little closer... I ignored his advise politely and proceeded to shoot the greatest airball in the history of basketball in front of all these hot college chicks. Steve made fun of me quite about that and we laugh to this day about it! BUT I eventually made a few shots and the next day my side felt way better... It was loosened up and didn't hurt hardly at all!
Anyway, between Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire and My uncle I don't know if I would have started to feel better nearly as fast as I did. I had a long way to go, but they both had a major hand in me getting closer to normal! To this day whenever I see Mrs. Doubtfire I think of that night in the theater and the next day at the corec!
Robin Williams: Top Ten
Normally, I would comment as to why I am choosing these films... I think these go w/out saying! They are in no order.
1.) Aladdin
2.) What Dreams May Come
3.) Goodwill Hunting
4.) Awakenings
5.) Mrs. Doubtfire
6.) Good Morning Vietnam
7.) Dead Poets Society
8.) Patch Adams
9.) Best of Times
10.) Hook
11.) Worlds Greatest Dad
12.) Death to Smoochy (One more than 11)
These are just some of his great films and some of my personal favorites! Thanks for making me laugh, feel and heal, Robin!
As a kid I was sick all the time. I had chronic lung problems that made things like going outside to play difficult, and would normally lay me up for a week or longer. I had been diagnosed w/ asthma, which isn't anything uncommon for kids then or now. In fact, I was told I had a mild case, and that it could be managed. The problem was that over the years it just seemed to keep getting worse. It was nothing for me to miss 60 days of school per year. Finally, It got so bad that I had reached the end of the medications I could take to get better. There was no other recommendation the doctor could make but for me to have lung surgery. My parents and I were told that from years of having chronic infection, the middle part of my right lung had to removed. The alternative was living in the hospital for a week every time I got sick, so we went w/ the the surgery.
The day of surgery came and went, and I was nervous about it... after it was over, it was the worst pain I have ever experienced. The first week was really difficult because my body felt completely different inside and out and it hurt on top of everything else... It literally felt as if someone reached inside me and ripped part of my lung out, but in an extremely violent horror film type of way! Anyway, I was told to do all these exercises to avoid "frozen shoulder," which happened by not using your muscles properly after a major surgery like to one I went through. I had been home for maybe a week in a half or or two weeks healing at my grandma's house, and for some reason I had made plans to go visit my uncle Steve up in West Lafayette, IN. I don't know how or why I did it, but my brother and I went and stayed w/ him for the weekend, and I was not feeling well at all. My side hurt so bad.
To this day I credit Robin Williams and my uncle Steve for getting me back to were I was at least speed walking on the road to recovery. One of the main things I remember is Steve taking us see Mrs. Doubtfire, and all I remember is laughing hysterically the whole film... And I mean hard... I was in tears from the pain in my side, but mostly from how funny Robin Williams was in the film... It hurt so bad, but It felt so good to laugh after all the stress I had felt in the months leading up to surgery and the years of always being sick. I was seriously laughing so hard I was afraid I was going to rip my stitches!!! The next day, my side felt a little better, and I was still thinking about the line "it was a drive by fruiting" and laughing all the way to the gym. That's right, my uncle took me to shoot baskets at the "corec" which was a big work out facility for the Purdue students to use. I squared up for a 20 footer for my first shot, despite my uncle encouraging me to move in a little closer... I ignored his advise politely and proceeded to shoot the greatest airball in the history of basketball in front of all these hot college chicks. Steve made fun of me quite about that and we laugh to this day about it! BUT I eventually made a few shots and the next day my side felt way better... It was loosened up and didn't hurt hardly at all!
Anyway, between Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire and My uncle I don't know if I would have started to feel better nearly as fast as I did. I had a long way to go, but they both had a major hand in me getting closer to normal! To this day whenever I see Mrs. Doubtfire I think of that night in the theater and the next day at the corec!
Robin Williams: Top Ten
Normally, I would comment as to why I am choosing these films... I think these go w/out saying! They are in no order.
1.) Aladdin
2.) What Dreams May Come
3.) Goodwill Hunting
4.) Awakenings
5.) Mrs. Doubtfire
6.) Good Morning Vietnam
7.) Dead Poets Society
8.) Patch Adams
9.) Best of Times
10.) Hook
11.) Worlds Greatest Dad
12.) Death to Smoochy (One more than 11)
These are just some of his great films and some of my personal favorites! Thanks for making me laugh, feel and heal, Robin!
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