Actress Recalls How Robin Williams Helped Veterans
By Movieguide® Contributor
MRS. DOUBTFIRE star Lisa Jakub is sharing how her on-screen father and Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin Williams, was committed to supporting veterans.
Jakub, who also runs a military nonprofit organization, explained that oftentimes, Williams would hire veterans to work for him while on set.
“So many people have told me that Robin did a lot of work with the veteran population as well, and that he always had production crews hire local veterans to be background actors or things like that on set, which is not something I ever knew about when I worked with him,” Jakub said, “but I also love that little connection as well.”
“Robin was everything you would hope Robin would be, and it’s so wonderful to think back on him now,” she continued, adding that she is so “grateful that I got to be in his presence, that I got to be working with him, that he was so kind to me.”
Jakub founded Mission Flexible, a nonprofit that aims to “support military Veterans who are living with post-traumatic stress by providing immersive mindfulness retreats.”
In 2016, Jakub “was invited to teach therapeutic writing at a veteran’s retreat,” which is where she found her niche.
“I just absolutely fell in love with the veteran community,” she explained. “I don’t know if I had ever talked to a veteran before I went and did that. I was so intimidated.”
Jakub was nervous the retreat would go horribly but she “just learned so much about the veteran community, and I really saw on the retreat how powerful these mindfulness techniques can be, including therapeutic writing for people who are really struggling with post-traumatic stress.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Williams’ legacy:
It’s hard to believe that this August will mark five years since comedian Robin Williams’ passing. Williams fell prey to the darkness of suicide and left generations of fans and family members devasted by the sudden loss. In recent days, however, Williams’ 36-year-old son Zak Williams honored his late father’s legacy and hopes to shine a light on the devastating impact of suicide.
Seattle-based photographer, Mariangela Abeo, runs an Instagram account titled Faces of Fortitude. Abeo is a suicide survivor herself and seeks to educate users about mental health and those affected by suicide. Her three most recent posts included Zak Williams. In the three posts detailing his thoughts on the matter, Williams got candid about his father’s bout with mental illness and encourages others to share their story to find healing.
