Robin Williams, an actor and comedian, was also known for his warm and kind personality.
Robin Williams brought joy and laughter to millions of fans across the globe before his life ended in a tragic manner. But the effect of his charm and humor wasn’t restricted to human beings, even animals couldn’t resist them. Koko, a very popularly known female gorilla from the western lowlands, won millions of hearts with her sign language skills. She impacted people’s lives by becoming a symbol of compassion and interspecies understanding.
But in a tragic moment, Koko’s world appeared to turn upside down when her longtime friend, Michael, died at the age of 27. She was so depressed that she didn’t smile for six months. However, everything changed for her in 2001 after an unforgettable encounter with Robin Williams. Williams, who is well-known for his warmth and sense of humor, intervened to cheer Koko up and managed to bring back her smile with his warmth.
The researchers reached out to Robin Williams, the renowned comedian, and asked if he would spend time with Koko, interacting with him naturally, as if he were simply a person in need of comfort. Williams agreed, though he had reservations. He wasn’t an expert on primates and worried he might be too awkward to connect with the gorilla.
However, when he met Koko, Williams had an unexpected revelation. By letting the gorilla approach him at his own pace, Williams realized that interacting with Koko felt like engaging with a curious child. Gradually, Koko grew more interested in his visitor, even becoming fascinated by Williams’ glasses, which he referred to as “strange glass eyes.”
Soon, Koko began communicating with Williams through sign language, suggesting games and asking surprisingly insightful questions that left the actor stunned. Within minutes, the two were joking, tickling each other, playing, and sharing stories from their lives. The researchers were amazed and asked Koko to describe Williams in one word. The gorilla chose the term “friend.”
Williams was deeply moved by the encounter, especially when he learned that he had managed to make a gorilla laugh who was on the brink of depression due to loneliness. Inspired, he decided to visit Koko whenever possible and even filmed public service announcements with him, advocating for species conservation and against animal experimentation.
A YouTube video posted by kokoflix, provided an insight into the beautiful connection between Koko and Williams at the California Gorilla Foundation. In the video, Koko approached Williams and gently grabbed his hand before signaling him to sit on the floor next to her. This was followed by a delightful conversation in which Koko repeatedly requested Williams to tickle her arms, stomach, and thighs.
Williams would often laugh when Koko pulled him in for a hug. One of the more entertaining examples of this was Koko curiously removing Williams’ spectacles and putting them on herself.
Later, Koko took Williams’ wallet and started looking for things in it. Eventually, Koko showed her affection by giving him a gentle kiss on the hand as the conversation ended. In a video, Williams said, “I recently had a mind-altering experience communicating with a gorilla. We shared something extraordinary: Laughter. Koko understands spoken English and uses over 1,000 signs to share her feelings and thoughts about daily events, life, love, and even death. It was awesome and unforgettable.”
Dr. Penny Patterson also discussed the bond shared between Williams and Koko. She said, “Robin’s ability to just ‘hang out’ with Koko, a gorilla, and in minutes become one of her closest friends, was extraordinary and unforgettable.” As reported by TODAY, she added, “Notice that Robin made Koko smile — something she hadn’t done for over six months, ever since her childhood gorilla companion, Michael, passed away at the age of 27. But not only did Robin cheer up Koko, the effect was mutual, and Robin seemed transformed.”
The bond between Koko and Williams was so profound that it endured even after the actor died in 2014. When Koko learned of Williams’ passing, he asked his instructors if he could cry and spent days in quiet reflection, his lips trembling with grief. The gorilla was inconsolable, knowing he would never see his friend again.
Koko passed away four years later, in 2018, at the age of 46. Today, he is remembered as one of the most significant primates in the history of scientific research, a testament to the extraordinary connections that can exist between species.
Viewers couldn’t help but flood the comment section with praises for Williams for his extraordinary talent of making not just humans, but animals like Koko happy. Patterson, Koko’s surrogate mother and longstanding mentor, revealed that she was talking on the phone about Williams’s passing when Koko heard it and was instantly struck with grief.
Throughout her life, Koko was the focus of multiple documentaries, captivating viewers with her extraordinary skills. The world was in awe of her intelligence and her extraordinary ability to learn sign language and she also made history in 1978 by getting featured on the cover of National Geographic.
Source: thedailynet.com