Robin Williams' wife Susan Schneider says children's lawyers wanted her wedding gifts

Home Top

'He had far greater intentions to do damage': Police reveal twisted college freshman who stabbed four on campus had a backpack containing petroleum jelly, handcuffs and night vision goggles
Money-laundering cop, who killed himself in fake murder, tried to hire a hit-man to kill administrator who was about to expose him and wanted to plant cocaine on her to cover up crimes
Murder charges thrown OUT against Cornell student for the death of his father - despite evidence including his mother calling 911 and saying her son had done it
Stanford tops the list of hardest colleges to get into - taking only FIVE PER CENT of applicants
Merry Christmas! Oprah Winfrey to layoff her remaining employees in Chicago beginning next month as operation relocates to California
The Daily Show host Trevor Noah heads back to work just a day after he underwent emergency appendectomy surgery
Is junk food to blame for the obesity epidemic? Scientists say NO! High-fat foods and sugary drinks 'don't influence BMI'
Mother who has been searching for her missing son for 13 years after he was snatched by his father 'overjoyed' to make contact with him for the first time
Divers recover the body of five-month-old baby 'Grace' who was 'thrown into a rushing creek by her troubled mother'
Mother, 22, confesses she 'killed her newborn daughter after secretly giving birth at her parents home and then stashed the body in the trunk of her car'
Rumsfeld fires back at 'old' George H.W. Bush: Former Secretary of Defense, 83, makes barbed comment about Bush, 91, 'getting up in years' after President branded him arrogant in book
Bernie Sanders bids to legalize weed with a federal marijuana bill
Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee get DEMOTED to Fox Business undercard debate - while Lindsey Graham and George Pataki don't make the cut at all
Bernie Sanders says he's ready to 'kick' Hillary's 'butt' in New Hampshire as he attacks her on classified email investigation
Poll-plummeting Carly Fiorina attracts only dozens in New Hampshire just minutes after filing her primary papers
Mr. Popular: Ben Carson is the favorite presidential candidate - and voters like Trump the least
Ben Carson's latest claims - he was homeless, hungry and saw segregation at water fountains
It's official: Secret Service now guarding Trump, Carson around the clock - at taxpayer expense
Jeb has had enough of Trump's brutal late-night tweets: 'There ought to be a no-Twitter rule for candidates after 8 o-clock!'
'It just tore me apart': State trooper delays telling children that their parents had been killed in fatal car crash so they could celebrate Halloween
Grandmother SHREDDED her fortune of 950,000 euros because she didn't want to leave it to her relatives
EXCLUSIVE: Man, 28, accused of trying to kill French train hero Spencer Stone is gun-toting convicted meth and marijuana dealer
JonBenet Ramsey's father reveals how he protected his young son from allegations he committed Christmas Day murder of his beauty pageant sister - and says he still believes the killer will be found
'I'm gay. I'm tired of holding it in': Former boxer comes out days after admitting that he made up story about being drugged before taking part in a gay porn threesome

Robin Williams' widow Susan Schneider spoke about the battle over his estate in an interview Wednesday morning
Schneider alleges that after Williams died lawyers for his children tried to take away the wedding gifts the two received following their nuptials
Schneider was ultimately allowed to keep these along with the home the two shared
She also revealed that Williams planned the perfect day for her right before he died and that he knew then he would take his own life

Published: 09:10 EST, 4 November 2015 | Updated: 19:37 EST, 4 November 2015

View
comments

Robin Williams' widow Susan Schneider revealed details about the battle over her husband's estate in an interview on Wednesday.

Speaking with Good Morning America, Schneider said that shortly after her husband committed suicide, lawyers for his three children and estate began taking everything from their home to determine if it would be left to her - including their wedding gifts.

In the end she was able to keep those gifts and the home the two shared during their marriage.

Scroll down for video

Speaking: Robin Williams' widow Susan Schneider (above) spoke about the battle over his estate in an interview Wednesday morning

Battle: Schneider alleges that after Williams died lawyers for his children (Zelda and Cody in October 2014) tried to take away the wedding gifts the two received following their nuptials

Kids: Almost all of Williams' estate went to his children (son Zachary above on left)

Schnedier also described her final day with Williams in the interview, saying she believes that the actor knew then that he was going to take his own life.

'It was the perfect day. We just did what we love to do together,' said Schneider.

'And I know now that he gave me that perfect day. That he gave us that perfect day.'

She then added; 'He knew what he was doing.'

Schneider also appeared in a taped appearance on The View Wednesday in which she said that she and Williams did not have any issues in his marriage at the time of his death and also revealed that she spent what would have been their fourth wedding anniversary in Hawaii.

'You know, we were living a nightmare,' said Schneider while appearing on Good Morning America Tuesday morning, referring to the months after November 2013 when Williams first began to exhibit symptoms of what was later diagnosed as the early stages of Parkinson's.

He was found dead less than a year later on August 11 after hanging himself, something Schneider believes happened because her husband was tired of battling a disease that had taken over his body and mind - Lewy body dementia.

Williams was not diagnosed with the disease however until his autopsy.

Schneider described one incident that occurred on July 24 when she was in the shower and said Williams standing by the bathroom sink.

Curious and concerned as to what he was doing, Schenider said she got out of the shower to check on her husband.

'And something didn't seem right. And I opened up the door and there was blood. This towel was so soaked with blood and he was just dabbing his head,' said Schneider.

'And I just screamed, "Robin, what happened? What did you do?" And he pointed to the door and I said, "Did you hit your head?" And he nodded.'

Heartbreak: Schneider said that Williams planned the perfect day for her just before he took his own life

This incident, according to Schneider, was confusing to her at the time, but now makes complete sense.

'And now, after a year of digging into what killed my husband, finding out all about Lewy body disease, lo and behold, one of the symptoms, their vision is affected. Spatially, depth, the ability to recognize, identify objects,' she explained.

'And so now, over a year later I totally get it. I get it, honey. I totally get it. I don't think he was trying to hit his head on the door. I know that's right. And I know he was angry with himself and he was fed up with this and he was expressing anger.'

The last month of Williams' life was difficult for the actor according to Schneider, and he appeared unable to keep things together.

In his final week doctors had finally made the decision to check him in for testing, and that played a big role in his decision to take his life according to Schneider.

'I mean, there are many reasons. Believe me. I've thought about this. Of what was going on in his mind, what made him ultimately commit - you know, to do that act,' said Schneider.

'And I think he was just saying, "No." And I don't blame him one bit. I don't blame him one bit.'

Victory: Schneider was ultimately allowed to keep her wedding gifts along with the home the two shared

The Lewy Body Dementia Association reports that the disease affects 1.4million people worldwide and 'refers to both Parkinson’s disease dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies.'

When asked if the topic of suicide ever came up with Williams, Schneider said; 'No. Not even - no. No.

'I mean, he was sick and tired of what was going on, absolutely … and when he got the Parkinson's diagnosis, you know, I mean, in one sense, it was like this is it. This is what we've been - we've been chasing something, now we found it. And we felt the sense of release and relief. But also, like, "Oh, my god, what does this mean?'"

Williams was also battling depression at the time, and had severe anxiety.

'We'd be out at dinner, and if people were looking at him because people couldn't help themselves. He would say, "Are they giving me the stink eye?"' said Schneider.

'And 98 percent of the time, it was like, "No, they're freaked out because you're Robin Williams. And they don't know what to do."'

Terms of the out-of-court settlement between Schneider and the children were not disclosed when they were reached last month.

Schneider - in addition to her wedding gifts - will also receive living expenses to maintain the home, a watch Robin Williams often wore, and a bike bought on their honeymoon.

Both sides expressed satisfaction over the settlement, which still must be approved by a court.

Meredith Bushnell, who represents the three children said, 'I think they're just very happy to have this behind them.'

Schneider Williams filed a court petition in December, saying the contents of the Tiburon, California, home she shared with Robin should be excluded from the items the actor left to his children.

She also claimed some of her husband's personal items were taken without her permission.

Among the items in dispute were watches, memorabilia, the tuxedo he was married in and photographs taken on his 60th birthday, according to court documents and previous statements by attorney Wagstaffe.

Williams' three children countered that Schneider Williams was 'adding insult to a terrible injury' by trying to change the trust agreement and deprive them of items that their father clearly intended to leave to them.