Christopher Mulrooney, an Iraq veteran, met Robin Williams in 2003. The award-winning actor had just performed for troops stationed in Iraq and Mulrooney was on duty backstage. Suddenly, Mulrooney felt an arm around him. He turned, rifle in tow, and was face-to-face with Williams.
“Note to self: Do not startle soldiers on guard duty,” Williams quipped. Their ensuing five-minute conversation was full of levity and jokes.
“He brought joy to me at a time when I was most depressed,” Mulrooney told Mashable.
Mulrooney is just one of many soldiers impacted by the humor and warmth of Williams, who died on Monday of an apparent suicide.
Foremost among the many groups to respond with an outpouring of sadness and sympathy is the U.S. military. Williams was a leading supporter of the army and made dozens of visits to American troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Robin was a gifted actor and comedian, but he was also a true friend and supporter of our troops,” Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said in a statement on Tuesday. “From entertaining thousands of service men and women in war zones, to his philanthropy that helped veterans struggling with hidden wounds of war, he was a loyal and compassionate advocate for all who serve this nation in uniform.”
President Barack Obama also mentioned Williams’ support of U.S. troops in a tribute to the deceased actor.
“He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most — from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets,” the president said.
Williams’ early interaction with the military took place on the big screen, when he played an army radio DJ in “Good Morning, Vietnam.” The role earned him an Academy Award nomination.
“That performance began a lifelong connection between Williams and the military,” said a writer commemorating the actor’s career on Military.com, a web portal for members of the U.S. military.
Williams was one of many entertainers to support the troops, but according to retired Adm. Frank Thorp, Williams was in a class of his own.
“We would literally have to hold on to the back of his shirt and pull him out in order to keep moving,” Thorp, who accompanied Williams on two of the actor’s tours to army bases, told the Wall Street Journal, adding that Williams would even take soldiers’ cellphones to call their families back at home.
