Robin Williams' Close Friend Reveals the 'War Raging Inside Him'

A touching tribute by one of Robin Williams' close friends reveals the “war raging inside him” in the days leading up to his suicide.

Dan Spencer, who is married to Robin's assistant Rebecca Erwin, posted the message on Facebook.

The story shares a bit of Robin's life journey as a little boy and his toy soldiers, who grew up to entertain the troops, but had his own personal battles.

Spencer, who calls Robin his hero, ends the homage, saying, “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."

He continued, "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.”

The entire tribute is included below:

“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.”

Then he went off to dangerous places like Afghanistan and Iraq at the height of war to entertain the troops, the soldiers. Maybe it was a way to pay back his boyhood friends.

Those of us lucky enough to be in his sphere saw our hero conquer the world. We joined him on journeys across the globe. He killed 'em! He slayed 'em! What great victories! What wondrous experiences! We were incredibly fortunate to follow him into the breach.

With laughter, love, and kindness, he did it! He saved the world!

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.