In 2001 Robin Williams was invited to meet Koko the Gorilla who is fluent in American Sign Language

Robin Williams made Koko the Gorilla laugh for the first time in 6 months after the death of her childhood playmate Gorilla. When Koko was told of Robin Williams' death in 2014, she reportedly signed, "cry."

The late Robin Williams came to meet Koko and they had an extraordinary interaction. Both laughed uncontrollably, and Koko for the first time in many months since her best Gorilla friend, Michael, passed away. When Koko heard of Robin's passing in 2014, she became very sad for a long time.

"Koko" July 4, 1971 June 19, 2018, was a female western lowland Gorilla. Koko was born at San Francisco Zoo and lived most of her life at The Gorilla Foundation's preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The name "Hanabiko" means ‘'Fireworks Child'' and is of Japanese origin.

Koko died in her sleep during the morning of June 19, 2018, at the Gorilla Foundation's preserve in Woodside, California, at the age of 46. Here last words in Sign Language were
“Help Earth. Hurry!”
Robin Williams Died on August 11, 2014, in Paradise Cay, California.