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Rye Remembers Robin Williams As Details Of Suicide Emerge

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Nobody could have played a crossdressing housekeeper or a wish-granting genie quite like Robin Williams, said Jordyn Schettino who was one of many on Tuesday to reflect on the iconic comedian’s career.

Jordyn Schettino, right, reacts to the death of Robin Williams.

Jordyn Schettino, right, reacts to the death of Robin Williams.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly

Williams, 63, died Monday of an apparent suicide. USA Today reports his personal assistant found him hanging from his bedroom closet with a belt around his neck Monday morning. When he didn’t respond to knocks on the door, his assistant broke into the room, where he was found dead.

“I was saddened because I didn’t think he was in that much trouble,” said Marsha Sperling, a Yonkers resident who was on her way to the Rye YMCA on Tuesday. “And it’s sad because it would be nice if somebody could just speak out and say I need help.”

Susan Santandreu, a longtime customer of NuMi Hair Salon on Purchase Street, said Williams’ death made her take a hard look back on his career.

“In a lot of his roles, there were always hidden demons when you really go back and analyze them, which I was doing this morning,” she said. “What you saw was who he was, the good, the bad and the ugly. But he will be missed, sorely missed. He really was one in a million.”

Schettino, of Harrison, said she liked Williams because many of his movies were unique.

“He was crazy, in a good way,” she said. “(He was) an interesting person. He had a cool personality on him… I don’t think anyone could have pulled off the same character as him.”

For many, like Schettino, "Mrs. Doubtfire" is the movie they first think of when talking about Williams.

“I think he was a great man and I loved his humor, and I like the movie 'Mrs. Doubtfire,'” Sperling said, adding that she remembers taking her now 40-year-old son to see his movies in the ‘70s and 80s. “I thought it was really cute.”

While Rye resident Casey Berkowtiz’s favorite Williams movie is "Mrs. Doubtfire," her younger sister, Jesse’s favorite is "Aladdin."

“I used to watch it all the time and the Genie was my favorite character. (He) added a spark to the movie,” she said.

Darryl Herrick, who is moving to Rye from Manhattan, said Williams was a genius.

“To be able to be that multi-faceted is rare,” he said. “It’s a great loss and (I'm) obviously very sad about it.”

What is your favorite Robin Williams movie? Comment below, on Facebook or Twitter @bpdonnelly

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