Robin Williams forever remembered

Many are still mourning the death of Robin Williams, and San Francisco has stood up and listened to a public plea to honour the comedian and movie star we all love so much. In response to a petition by community member from Marin County, Julie Wainwright, the California Senate has approved a resolution to rename the Waldo Tunnel, also known by many as the Rainbow Tunnel after the late actor Robin Williams, who died on August 11, 2014.

Robin Williams lived locally to where the tunnel Williams had lived in Tiburon in California since he was 16 years old attending the College of Marin in his early years. This area was apparently always home to him.

Marin County community member, Julie Wainwright kicked off an online petition to change the name of the tunnel and achieved at last count over 60,000 responses.

The petition text is below… Share your thoughts on Williams being remembered here… 

“Like many worldwide, I am mourning the death of the immensely talented entertainer and incredibly good person, Robin Williams. I live in Marin County, California, about three miles from Robin’s home in Tiburon. He was my neighbor — I often saw him running errands, walking the dog, performing at the local theater, working at the coffee shop. Robin wasn’t just an international icon — he was an integral part of our community here in the Bay Area. We claim him as our own.

I want to remember and honor this very important citizen here in our community for the joy he brought to the world and to bring awareness to the silent illness that eventually took his life. I’m asking for your support to encourage the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to change the name of Waldo Tunnel to the Robin Williams Tunnel.

Named after a politician from the 1850s, the Waldo Tunnel is the fastest way to get between San Francisco and Marin on Highway 101. Tens of thousands of people travel through this landmark each week. Above each of the tunnel entrances are rainbows, which I believe personify Robin in that he was so playful, fun, accessible, alive and colorful. Plus, many people first learned of Robin from his role in the 1970s TV show “Mork and Mindy,” where he often wore rainbow-colored suspenders.

For these reasons, I believe changing the tunnel name would be a fitting tribute to a man who was beloved in our community and admired worldwide. Robin was a one-of-a-kind type of person, and I want him to be honored in an unconventional, everlasting and beautiful way. This is just one way that we can do that.

Robin will be dearly missed, but I hope this change will provide us with a happy memory of him and will bring more awareness to the disease that sadly took his life. Please sign my petition if you agree! Thank you.”