I was nonchalantly reading when Twitter exploded after Robin William’s death on Monday, August 11. Hashtags such as #RobinWilliams and #RIPRobinWilliams were trending as the nation, still shocked, began to learn of the death of the famed actor.

Williams was born in the lively city of Chicago in 1951. Primarily, he attended Claremont Men’s College and College of Marin, however, Williams was later accepted into the pretentious Julliard School of music, where he excelled. His acting career truly took off in the 1980’s with his role as John Keating in The Dead Poet’s Society. The movie received excellent reviews and the media saw Williams as the gifted actor he was. From then on, audiences everywhere laughed with Williams as he played the hilarious Mrs. Doubtfire and cried as his character Keating left the classroom for the last time.

With the death of such an accomplished actor, many tend to forget the work he did, aside from comedy and acting, to improve the lives of others. In addition to an outstanding actor, Williams was involved in over twenty various charity organizations, most notably St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, UNICEF, Comic Relief, and the American Foundation for AIDS Research. Throughout his life, he has touched so many hearts and made a noticeable impact on the world, despite his personal obstacles. It’s been known that Williams, like many, had struggled with clinical depression and anxiety, yet he was always seen as the “funny guy”, the class clown; one of his main focuses was making other’s smile and laugh, according to everyone who knew him personally.

One of the most memorable moments Williams is remembered by is his relationship with Koko, a gorilla who communicated with sign language. About six months after the mate of Koko passed, Williams visited her at the Gorilla Foundation, located in California. The two clicked nearly immediately and formed a friendship that would last. The interaction with her impacted Williams for the better. “Meeting Koko was unforgettable.” the comedian admitted. This was back in 2001. Recently, Koko overheard of her dear friend’s death and expressed extreme sadness by signing the word “cry” multiple times.

Actor and comedian Robin Williams was more than a renowned celebrity; he was a heavily involved figure who truly cared for others, as seen through his charitable work. As the majority of his fans agree, Williams will be deeply missed.