A little piece of everyone’s heart died along with Robin Williams on Aug 11, 2014.

It would be easy for me to sit here and write a quick list of his accomplishments and end with an “R.I.P.” but Williams deserves more than that.

I’m not going to sit here and remind you of the fact he died, or how he died, and name off things that may or not be true. Instead, I am going to share with you all what Williams means to me.

I think everyone born in the 80s or after can truthfully look into their childhood and find Williams there somewhere. And that little place is filled with nothing but smiles and warmth.

For many, that special place has a blue Genie with his friend named Aladdin. For others, he was a man lost in time who comes back after playing a board game called Jumanji. For many others, he was the first teacher who opened our eyes to the outside world and made us realize that there is so much more to learn that what’s taught in school.

No matter what piece (or pieces) of him remains in your heart, you are more than willing to stand on a desk and declare him your captain.

For me, that place in my heart has a little compound named Flubber and a woman named Mrs. Doubtfire.

Flubber was one of the Disney films that always knew how to get me to laugh every time I watched it as a little kid. I even used to think the color lime green was called “flubber.” However, Mrs. Doubtfire has been my single favorite Williams comedy ever. We all know it: he sticks his face in a cake and stands up and screams “HELLO!”

I remember seeing this for the first time with my big sister at my grandparents’ house. Both her and I sat on the floor, rolling in pain and tears because we were laughing so hard.
To me, Robin Williams was like my grandfather in the sense that he always made me smile and feel welcomed, and that’s how I will remember him.