Zelda Williams Remembers Her Father Robin In Touching Tribute

Celebrities far and wide have rushed to pay tribute to Robin Williams in the wake of his suicide. This includes Conan O’Brien, who dedicated the end of his show on Monday to the brilliant comedian. The tribute was particularly raw, because O’Brien, Andy Richter and their guest of the night Will Arnett received the news during the taping of the show, so they had to react on the spot.

“We tape these shows a few hours early, and by the time you see this now on TV, I’m sure that you’ll know. I’m sorry to anybody in our studio audience that I’m breaking this news—this is absolutely shocking and horrifying, and so upsetting on every level,” O’Brien was visibly trying to keep his composure at the news.

Arnett, who had worked with Williams on the 2006 comedy RV, remembered his professional skill, but most of all, his kind and gentle personality – something, which everyone who knew Williams, seems to have cherished most in the actor.

“As funny as he was—he’s truly one of the all-time greats—he was even better as a person,” the Arrested Development star said. “He was even more fantastic—just the loveliest, sweetest, one of the kindest guys that I’ve ever worked with. Just such a soft, warm, emotionally sweet guy, and it’s a major, major loss for everybody.”

Then O’Brien took over again to express the shock of the news, before he closed the show: “We’re just processing this information literally right at this moment, and so we are thinking of Robin’s family. We’re thinking about everybody who he touched around the world, throughout his life. We’re thinking about Robin tonight. There’s really not much else to say.”

Earlier in the day, Williams’ daughter Zelda skipped the middle man and posted her first and only statement on her personal Tumblr.

“My family has always been private about our time spent together,” 25-year-old Williams wrote. “It was one way of keeping one thing that was ours, with a man we shared with the world.

More: Robin Williams Made Millions Laugh, While Fighting His Own Demons

“He was always warm, even in his darkest moments. While I’ll never, ever understand how he could be loved so deeply and not find it in his heart to stay, there’s minor comfort in knowing that our grief and loss, in some small way, is shared with millions.”

Much like her father, Williams held on to her sense of humour to write: “As for those of you, who are sending negativity, know that some small, giggling part of him is sending a flock of pigeons to your house to poop on your car. Right after you've had it washed. After all, he loved to laugh too.”