Robin Williams's Children Mark What Would Have Been His 75th Birthday with Heartfelt Tributes
Two of Robin Williams's three children publicly honored their late father on what would have been his 75th birthday this week, sharing rare personal reflections on the beloved entertainer who died nearly 12 years ago.
Zelda Williams, who turns 37 on July 31, posted an emotional tribute via Instagram story addressing her father with affection. "Happy 75th womb evacuation anniversary Poppo!" she wrote, imagining how he might have aged. "Not sure what 75 would've looked like on you. Probably the same loud socks and cool jackets. Maybe some more crazy glasses as your eyesight got worse. Grayer, but no less hairy."
She continued with poignant reflections on their lost conversations. "Wish we could talk about the world and joke about my haunted pups. Bet your laugh would be the same. You are loved beyond measure and missed daily." Accompanying her words was a photo-booth strip capturing father and daughter laughing together and making playful faces.
Her brother Zachary, 43, shared his own commemoration on Instagram, posting an image of their father in character as the alien Mork from the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy, which aired from 1978 to 1982. "Happy 75th Dad!" he wrote. "Today I'm remembering your weirdness and your extraordinary capacity to love."
Zachary reflected on specific memories that endured. "I remember those wrinkles in the corners of your eyes - the kind you get from a lifetime of smiling. I remember your unending need to see this world free of human and animal suffering." He encouraged followers to mark the occasion through acts of kindness. "For those out there who'd like to celebrate with me, go do something kind for someone. Make someone laugh. Put a little more good into the world."
A Legacy of Mental Health Advocacy
Zachary and his wife Olivia June were inspired by Williams's struggles to co-found Prepare Your Mind, which produces amino acid supplements designed to support stress resilience. The venture, formulated with input from neuroscientists, reflects the family's commitment to mental health awareness following the actor's death.
Williams was born on July 21, 1951, in Chicago. He attended Juilliard School on a full scholarship in 1973, where he met Christopher Reeve in the advanced program. The two actors maintained a close friendship until Reeve's death in 2004.
Zelda and Cody, 34, are Williams's children with his second wife Marsha Garces Williams, to whom he was married for 18 years until their divorce in 2008. Zachary is the son of Williams and his first wife Valerie Velardi, who were married for a decade ending in 1988. The youngest son, Cody, chose to honor his father by marrying Maria Flores in 2019 on what would have been Williams's 68th birthday.
Career Achievements and Final Years
Williams built an extraordinary entertainment career spanning comedy and drama. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1997 for his role as psychologist Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting, after receiving Oscar nominations for Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, and The Fisher King. Throughout his career, he earned five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums and spoken word recordings, along with two Emmy Awards.
The performer came remarkably close to achieving EGOT status - winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony - missing only the Tony Award from the exclusive honor.
Williams remains beloved for roles in Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), The Birdcage (1996), Good Will Hunting (1997), and the Night at the Museum series (2006-2014). Zelda's most recent major role was voicing Spitfire in six episodes of the Paramount+ animated series Transformers: EarthSpark in 2024.
Understanding a Devastating Diagnosis
Williams died on August 11, 2014, at age 63 in his Paradise Cay, California home, after battling severe depression. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in May 2014, just three months before his death. However, the autopsy revealed the true cause of his symptoms: Lewy body dementia, a neurodegenerative disorder that had not been identified during his lifetime.
Lewy body dementia is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, accounting for approximately 10 to 15 percent of all dementia cases and affecting an estimated 1.3 to 1.4 million Americans. The condition's difficulty to diagnose while patients are living makes Williams's case particularly significant in raising awareness.
The actor's ashes were scattered over San Francisco Bay. His battle with the disease is documented in the 2020 film Robin's Wish and HBO's 2018 documentary Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind, helping educate the public about this often-misunderstood condition.
