Will Smith and family receives Robin Williams Legacy of Laughter Award

Late actor Robin Williams’ children, Zelda, Cody and
Zachary, chose actor Will Smith and his  family to receive the Robin Williams Legacy of
Laughter Award, which was established in honor of their father, who died by
suicide in 2014.

In a video posted by Smith on Monday, Zachary announced this
year’s award was going to Smith, his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and their children,
Jaden, Willow and Trey, reports etonline.com.

“My becoming a mental health advocate stems from the trauma
and loss I experienced after my dad died by suicide. I experienced a serious
low point in my life and I found that the most healing experience for me was
committing to service around causes,” said Zachary.

Zachary joined the board of Bring Change to Mind, a
non-profit founded by Glenn Close, which aims to end the stigma and
discrimination surrounding mental illness. Through the organization, William’s
family present the Legacy of Laughter Award to someone they feel embodies, “the
best sparks of dad — still living and bringing joy.”

“As a family that gets asked about the word ‘legacy’ a lot,
we decided that this year we’d like to honor one that was being built with
kindness, unity and love right in front of us. This year we wanted to honor the
entire Smith family as individuals and as a whole for their long-standing and
continued contributions to the world,” said Zachary.

“You’ve held groundbreaking discussions on topics like
family, career and mental health in a world that often expects silence from its
most visible citizens. Your charitable acts are many and varied, from feeding
the homeless, helping inner-city youth programs, fighting AIDS in South Africa
and bringing safe water to those who need it most,” he added, reports
etonline.com.

Zachary also commended Will and Jada for raising “a second
generation that is a true testament to you.”

The family then filmed a response to the honor, with Jaden
joining them virtually (much to his siblings’ amusement) because he was
awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.

 “From one genie
family to another, it’s one of the great joys for us as a family, and a
FaceTime, to accept the Robin Williams Legacy of Laughter Award [for] using
laughter as a force for good, as a family,” Smith said.

The family discussed how Williams brought lots of laughter
to their household and named some of their favorite Williams movies, like “Mrs.
Doubtfire”.