Robin Williams’ son on his giving spirit and continuing it today

By this point, we all know that Robin Williams was one of the most generous guys in Hollywood, with countless stories from his co-stars and celebrity friends about an unending stream of support that Williams leant in times of trouble. But now his son, Zak, is remembering his own personal stories of his father’s good nature that he hopes he can carry on.

Speaking with People, Zak Williams said his father Robin was never shy about helping strangers, recalling, “When I was a little kid and we’d be walking in San Francisco where I grew up, he would stop, talk to someone on the street — a homeless person — say, ‘Hey boss, what can I do for you?’ And we’d see him get meals, food, money…It was deeply important to him to help improve the human condition, and that extends beyond helping people laugh and learn about themselves.”

Robin Williams was in such a position to give back for decades, co-founding Comic Relief (which raised money for the homeless), contributing to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, helping longtime friend Christopher Reeve pay for medical bills after his 1995 accident, and more. This is all part of the generosity that helped make Robin Williams so loveable, even to people that never got a chance to meet him.

As Zak Williams continued on how he and his family will help carry on Robin’s legacy, “He cared deeply about people in need, and I think for me, he opened my eyes to really what kindness was all about…We see it as a natural extension of what he would want, which is helping bring healing and helping develop resilience for folks, especially young people. He loved kids. And as a family, we feel it’s a natural way to honor his legacy.”

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since Robin Williams’ death. But we’ll always watch his movies, TV appearances and stand-up specials. In fact, I was just rewatching Mrs. Doubtfire the other night, howling at both the outrageousness and nuances that Williams brought to the movie.

What made Robin Williams stand out for you?