Robin Williams - Was Alimony a Cause of his Death?

As I am sure you know, Robin Williams took his own life on August 11. Although there are reports that he suffered from depression and was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease, there are also many reports, including this one at the New York Daily News, that suggest alimony payments to his former wives was a key contributor to his death. As the author, Linda Staci, states, "ex-wives who were allowed to attach themselves to Williams’ bank account like comatose patients on feeding tubes would be enough to make Gandhi angry and depressed." She also goes on to say, "<alimony> is a concept that is fundamentally anti-feminist." I couldn't agree more with her. 

I can't help wondering what goes through people's heads who receive alimony. How is it possible to rationalize that just because you were married to someone that you get to retire to a life of luxury while the Court ensures that the person paying the alimony has to work until death. (at lest that is true with my divorce) And in my case Spring clearly was not the primary caregiver for the children nor was she in any sense a homemaker. The unfairness would depress anyone, including Robin Williams, once dubbed the funnest man alive. 

Here is the man himself in 1991 on the Johnny Carson show defining alimony. Funny stuff but you can sense the underlying bitterness.