The husband of the person who found Robin Williams’ body has penned a touching tribute to the late star.
Dan Spencer – who is married to the ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ star’s close friend and personal assistant Rebecca Erwin Spencer – spoke movingly of the "lonely little boy" and his life-long love of games.
He posted on Facebook: "As a little boy, he was alone in his room with his toy soldiers while his parents went off on business trips.
"You can imagine his mother and father telling him to be a good little soldier while they were away. Then he would be left alone to play with his friends, which were little Army men. When his parents returned, he received a gift, a token for his good behavior, maybe more little soldiers to add to his collection.
"Those toys remained with him throughout his life and were often given prominent space in his home on specially crafted display cases. He discovered video games, first-person shooters for computer and then for Xbox.
"Name a game, no matter how obscure, and he owned it. He played his soldier games even up to age 62. We had an expression for his avid gaming. We said he was in there ‘saving the world.’"
He then went on to recall Robin’s work with the United Service Organisation (USO), and how he "conquered the world" as he visited war-torn areas like Afghanistan and Iraq to entertain the troops.
And while the tragic star – who married third wife Susan Schneider in 2011 – had a "happy ending" in sight, Dan told how his loved ones were left "heartbroken" watching his "final conflict" with depression.
He concluded: "In his advancing years, our hero found a new love who we knew would march with him to the end of the rainbow. After decades of battles, a happy ending was in sight.
"But his final conflict was heartbreaking to witness. Oh, if you could only have seen the war raging inside him. It would have stopped your heart. We fought the fight with him, but it left him defeated.
"Now our hero has laid down his arms. He has bid his soldiers farewell. The final fight is over.
"At last, that lonely little boy is at peace."
Robin Williams’ friend pens ‘soldier’ tribute
