Mass. residents share their encounters with Robin Williams

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Bostonians remembered their encounters with Robin Williams one day after the 63-year-old was found dead at his California home.

Though Williams never enters the L Street Tavern in "Good Will Hunting," he became friends with the people at the South Boston pub during filming, and even guest starred there at the cast's after party. Williams won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Sean Maguire, a therapist who breaks through Will Hunting's tough exterior.

The bar released a statement Monday night, "He was always kind and charitable to those he met during Good Will Hunting. He certainly put us on the map, as we have visitors all over the world to see the little corner tavern where they filmed the Academy Award winning film. He will be missed."

Fans left quotes from some of Williams' most memorable roles near the Public Garden bench where Williams filmed an emotional scene for the movie with Matt Damon.

Some left tributes - pinwheels, flowers, bottles of beer, a teddy bear, an autographed baseball.

Some used chalk to write messages on the walkway. Many were quotes from his performances: "It's not your fault," from "Good Will Hunting," and, "You ain't never had a friend like me," from "Aladdin."

Personal stories of Williams' interactions with Massachusetts residents began to pour in Monday after news of the comedy legend's death surfaced.

One Boston native who spent 10 days overseas with Williams on a USO tour a few years ago said Williams told him "Good Will Hunting" was his favorite movie and that he loved Boston.

"On the first day of the trip, I told him I was from Boston, so he said for the rest of the trip we could only speak to each other in Boston accents," said Brian O'Connell, who was Mission Commander of an Air Force C-17 during the tour. "We spent the next 10 days trying to 'out do' each other with 'colorful Bostonian insults.' As so many have said, Robin was always 'on.' I can honestly say that he was one of the most genuinely nice people I have ever met in my life."

Another military member described how handlers for Williams, who was known for his extensive work with the USO and visits to our troops overseas, became frustrated with him during a 2002 trip to Afghanistan because he wanted to "talk to and shake the hand of every soldier he saw."

The 63-year-old was found dead at his home Monday. The sheriff reported he died of an apparent suicide by asphyxia, the sheriff reported, though no final determination will be made until a comprehensive investigation is finished. A forensic examination will take place Tuesday, followed by toxicology reports.

Cox Media Group