16 Aug – Other than his losing battle with depression, another heartbreaking truth about the beloved "Dead Poets Society" actor has surfaced. The late actor's wife, Susan Schneider, recently revealed in a written statement about his deteriorating health condition. She wrote that Williams was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease before his death. He had kept it hidden from the public's knowledge as it was something "he was not yet ready to share publicly." Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder that causes motor impairments which include tremors, slowness of movement, difficulty walking and rigidity. The National Parkinson Foundation stated that depression "is part of the disease process itself". Later stages of the disease also cause dementia.
Michael J. Fox, another noted actor who is diagnosed with the disease, posted on Twitter, "Stunned to learn Robin had [Parkinson's]. Pretty sure his support for our [foundation] predated his diagnosis. A true friend; I wish him peace." Williams was found dead at his home on Monday morning and believed to have hanged himself. He was 63.