What You Didn't Know About Robin Williams

Reflections on the passing of Robin Williams in 2014 were mostly focused on the legendary actor's career and onstage persona, but there was much more to Robin than just the man that we knew (and loved) on screen. Robin's private life was full of ups and downs, including his dedication to philanthropy and his ongoing struggles with depression and addiction. July 21 would have been the beloved star's 67th birthday, so keep reading to learn more about Robin as we reflect on the life and times of a man who touched the lives of so many.

Robin was survived by his three children — Zak, Zelda, and Cody. Zelda shared a heartbreaking message to her dad after news of his passing broke, saying, "I love you. I'll miss you. I'll try to keep looking up." He also left behind a half-brother, McLaurin Smith-Williams. The two also had a brother, Todd, who died in 2007. According to McLaurin, the three of them got "along famously" and were very close. He was also an avid dog-lover and had a pug named Leonard, who pretty much dominated his Instagram feed.

Robin admitted in the past that he had struggled with an addiction to cocaine when he was part of the comedy party scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He later said that the death of his friend, John Belushi, was a wake up call for him to deal with his issues. In 2003, he relapsed with alcohol and checked himself into rehab in 2006. Shortly after his treatment, Robin admitted in an interview that he sometimes suffered from bouts of depression. He said, "Do I perform sometimes in a manic style? Yes. Am I manic all the time? No. Do I get sad? Oh yeah. Does it hit me hard? Oh yeah." He also shared that his depression fueled his addiction issues and thoughts of suicide, saying, "It's the same voice thought that . . . you're standing at a precipice and you look down, there's a voice and it's a little quiet voice that goes, 'Jump.' The same voice that goes, 'Just one.' . . . And the idea of just one for someone who has no tolerance for it, that's not the possibility." A few years after his stint in rehab, Robin got divorced and underwent heart surgery. He returned to show business in 2009, when he took up standup comedy again and performed on Broadway with a one-man show.

Just a few weeks before his death, Robin checked himself into a rehab center to "fine-tune and focus" on his commitment to sobriety.

Robin was apparently an avid gamer and even named two of his children after video-game characters (Zelda was named after Princess Zelda, and Cody got his name from a character in Final Fight). Robin and Zelda also appeared together in a 2011 ad for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.

Robin was an active philanthropist, raising money for Comic Relief, an organization that uses comedians to raise money for those in need; his friend Christopher Reeve's foundation, which focuses on improving the lives of those who were paralyzed; the LiveStrong foundation, which supports people with cancer; and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which focuses on research and support for children suffering from cancer. Comic Relief creator Bob Zmuda remembered Robin's dedication to helping the homeless, saying, "Robin came from a family with money — he was brought up with a silver spoon in his mouth, and I think he felt so blessed that he wanted to do something for people who weren't brought up like that."

Finally, Robin shared during a 2001 appearance on Inside the Actor's Studio that he hoped there would be "laughter" in heaven. Watch what Robin had to say below.