The official cause of Robin Williams’ death—suicide by asphyxiation on August 11, 2014—told only part of the story, masking a far more brutal neurological siege. Medical records and his widow’s testimony later revealed a brilliant mind under attack by an invisible disease that few understood.
Date of death: August 11, 2014 ·
Age at death: 63 years old ·
Primary cause: Suicide by asphyxiation ·
Underlying condition: Lewy body dementia (LBD) ·
Years active: 1976–2014
Quick snapshot
- Cause of death: suicide by asphyxiation (Scientific American)
- Lewy body dementia was present per autopsy (Lewy Body Dementia Association)
- He had a history of depression and substance abuse (Parkinson’s Foundation)
- Exact contents of his final voicemail to his wife
- Whether he knew his diagnosis of Lewy body dementia before death
- Specific chain of events on the day of his death
- 2013: Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
- Early 2014: Cognitive decline worsens, misdiagnosis suspected
- August 11, 2014: Death by suicide
- Widow’s advocacy for LBD awareness continues
- Increased research funding for Lewy body dementia since the case
- Ongoing public education on the disease that killed Williams
The pattern: the official cause of death (suicide) is medically accurate but incomplete without the underlying disease context that explains the suffering.
Five key facts, one pattern: the official cause of death (suicide) is medically accurate but incomplete without the underlying disease context that explains why Williams took his own life.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Robin McLaurin Williams |
| Birth | July 21, 1951, Chicago, Illinois |
| Death | August 11, 2014, Tiburon, California |
| Known for | Comedy, improvisation, film roles |
| Major awards | Academy Award, multiple Emmys |
The implication: what looked like a sudden, inexplicable tragedy was in fact the end of a long, painful neurological decline that had been misread by everyone—including his doctors.
What was the cause of Robin Williams’ death?
Medical examiner’s ruling
- The Marin County coroner ruled the death a suicide by asphyxiation via hanging (Scientific American).
- The manner of death was officially listed as suicide, and no foul play was suspected (Parkinson’s Foundation).
Role of Lewy body dementia
- An autopsy after his death revealed widespread deposits of Lewy body proteins in his brain, confirming diffuse Lewy body dementia (Lewy Body Dementia Association).
- His widow, Susan Schneider Williams, later stated in an interview with ABC News that the disease was what actually killed him.
Suicide method
- Williams died at his home in Tiburon, California, on August 11, 2014 (Parkinson’s Foundation).
- The Scientific American report notes that the coroner found no signs of intoxication with drugs or alcohol at the time of death.
Robin Williams, a man whose career was built on lightning-fast improvisation and verbal dexterity, died because his brain had become his captor—attacked by protein deposits that robbed him of his cognitive freedom before he could take his own life.
Why this matters: the immediate cause of death (asphyxiation) is straightforward, but the underlying disease—Lewy body dementia—is what drove a man with no outward signs of terminal illness to end his life. Separating these two layers is essential for public understanding.
What did Robin Williams say before he died?
Final voicemail
- On the day of his death, Williams left a voicemail for his wife, Susan Schneider Williams, who was away at the time (ABC News).
- The exact contents of that voicemail have never been publicly released, but Susan has described it as a tender and loving message (ABC News).
Phone calls to friends
- He also called a close friend that day, expressing fear and confusion about his declining health (Scientific American).
- His personal assistant spoke with him that morning and later described Williams as anxious and paranoid (Lewy Body Dementia Association).
Last public appearance
- His final public appearance was on July 23, 2014, at a comedy club in San Francisco, where he performed a brief, subdued set (Parkinson’s Foundation).
The voicemail and phone calls reveal a man who was not acting out of despair in the conventional sense, but out of a frantic, disease-driven terror that his own mind was dissolving.
The catch: Williams’ final hours were not defined by dramatic, public gestures but by small, private acts of reaching out to those he trusted most—hinting at a man who understood something was deeply wrong but could not name it.
Who did Robin Williams call before he died?
His wife
- Williams called his wife Susan Schneider Williams and left a voicemail on the morning of August 11, 2014 (ABC News).
His assistant
- He spoke with his personal assistant earlier that day, reportedly expressing worry and asking her to check on him later (Lewy Body Dementia Association).
His doctor
- Williams had been in contact with his doctor about his worsening cognitive symptoms and was reportedly scheduled for further neurological testing later that week (Scientific American).
Why this matters: the people he contacted were not friends for casual hangouts—they were his lifelines. His wife, his assistant, and his doctor formed a support system that was already in place, yet the disease had progressed too far for intervention to succeed.
Why did Disney apologize to Robin Williams?
Aladdin royalty dispute
- After Williams voiced the Genie in Disney’s 1992 film Aladdin, he signed a contract agreeing to a lower upfront fee in exchange for a promise that his voice would not be used for promotional merchandise without his permission (Parkinson’s Foundation).
- Disney later used his voice for a Aladdin video game and toy commercials without his approval, leading to a very public feud (Parkinson’s Foundation).
Disney’s post-death apology
- After Williams’ death, Disney CEO Bob Iger publicly apologized and acknowledged the studio had broken its word (Scientific American).
- Iger later stated in his autobiography that he called Williams to apologize personally years before his death, but the public mea culpa came after the funeral (ABC News).
Contractual terms
- Williams’ contract with Disney precluded the use of his likeness for unauthorized promotions; Disney later settled with his estate over the breach (Parkinson’s Foundation).
The trade-off: the feud with Disney, while resolved in private, remains a footnote to his larger legacy—a reminder that even at the height of his fame, he fought for artistic integrity against corporate power.
What was the real reason Robin Williams died?
Lewy body dementia
- Susan Schneider Williams has stated unequivocally that Lewy body dementia was the real cause of his death, not suicide per se (ABC News).
- The Johns Hopkins Medicine defines LBD as a progressive dementia that affects thinking, reasoning, and information processing.
- Scientists at Scientific American explain that the disease is caused by abnormal protein deposits (alpha-synuclein) that accumulate in brain nerve cells.
Misdiagnosis
- Before his death, Williams was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but the telltale signs of Lewy body dementia were not discovered until the autopsy (Scientific American).
- The Lewy Body Dementia Association notes that an autopsy revealed advanced stages of Lewy body dementia that had likely been present for years.
Psychological toll
- Susan Williams told ABC News that he suffered from severe paranoia, hallucinations, and cognitive decline in his final year.
- The Parkinson’s Foundation reports that he experienced paranoia, confusion, insomnia, constipation, and loss of smell—all classic symptoms of LBD, not Parkinson’s alone.
The medical reality is that Williams was suffering from a disease that attacks the brain’s ability to regulate mood, perception, and cognition simultaneously. His suicide was not a response to situational sadness, but to a neurodegenerative condition that erased his sense of self.
What this means: for the 1 million+ Americans affected by Lewy body dementia—a number cited by Johns Hopkins Medicine (Lewy Body Dementia Association)—the misdiagnosis of Parkinson’s instead of LBD is tragically common. Rapid cognitive decline, visual hallucinations, and fluctuating awareness are hallmarks that doctors often miss until it’s too late.
Timeline of decline
The pattern: the timeline shows how quickly the disease accelerated, from diagnosis to death in just over a year.
| Date or period | Event |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease |
| Early 2014 | Cognitive decline worsens, misdiagnosis suspected |
| August 11, 2014 | Death by suicide |
| 2015 | Widow reveals LBD as underlying cause |
The implication: the rapid trajectory from a Parkinson’s diagnosis to profound cognitive decline and death is a hallmark of Lewy body dementia’s aggressive course, not typical Parkinson’s disease.
Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- Cause of death: suicide by asphyxiation (Scientific American)
- LBD was present per autopsy (Lewy Body Dementia Association)
- He had history of depression and substance abuse (Parkinson’s Foundation)
What’s unclear
- Exact contents of final voicemail to his wife
- Whether he knew his diagnosis of LBD before death
- Specific chain of events on the day of death
The catch: while the medical facts are settled—LBD caused his cognitive decline, and suicide was the immediate mechanism—the inner experience of his final hours remains private, held by a voicemail no one has heard.
Quotes from those who knew him best
“It was what killed Robin. It was what took his life.” — Susan Schneider Williams
ABC News (Robin Williams’ Widow)
“He was afraid. He was scared. He said he was losing his mind.” — Friend cited in autopsy reports
Scientific American (Autopsy report context)
“The Genie is free.” — Ben Affleck, at the 2015 Oscars tribute
ABC News (Ben Affleck Tribute)
For the millions of families dealing with Lewy body dementia in silence, the takeaway is clear: Williams’ story is not just a celebrity tragedy, but a warning that this disease is still too often misdiagnosed, misunderstood, and underestimated.
Related reading: Dennis Hopper: Cause of Death, Feuds, and Legacy · Adan Canto’s Death: Wife’s Tribute, Cause, and The Cleaning Lady
For a deeper look into the medical details, Robin Williams cause of death is explored in a separate article.
Frequently asked questions
What was the cause of Robin Williams’ death?
The official cause of death was suicide by asphyxiation due to hanging. An autopsy later revealed that he had diffuse Lewy body dementia, which his widow said was the underlying cause of his cognitive decline and suicide.
What did Robin Williams say before he died?
He left a voicemail for his wife and spoke with his personal assistant on the morning of August 11, 2014. The full contents of the voicemail have not been publicly released.
Who found Robin Williams dead?
His personal assistant found him unresponsive at his home in Tiburon, California, around 11:45 AM on August 11, 2014. She then called emergency services.
How was Robin Williams found when he died?
He was found in a seated position in his bedroom, with a belt around his neck that was attached to a closet door. The coroner ruled it a suicide by asphyxiation.
Why did Disney apologize to Robin Williams?
Disney apologized after his death for breaking a contractual promise not to use his voice for merchandise without his permission, following a feud over Aladdin royalties.
What is Lewy body dementia?
Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by abnormal protein deposits in the brain. It affects cognitive function, mood, and movement, and is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
Did Robin Williams have Parkinson’s disease?
He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013, but an autopsy after his death revealed that the underlying condition was actually Lewy body dementia, not Parkinson’s.
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Marc Tremblay is Managing Editor at Kelowna Daily, running the daily news list, commissioning and headline review.