reporter: legend has it the two made a pact as students that whoever made it first would always support the other one. in 1995 reeve injured his spine in a horse riding accident. and was paralyzed from the neck down. when i interviewed him four months later, he said the greatest gift williams ever gave him was the gift of laughter. you had a very good friend named robin williams. yes. yes. and i understand that he came here to see you? i was hanging upside down, semiconscious, not eating, not drinking. and i turned to my side and there is robin williams dressed as a doctor, wearing one of those funny blue scrub hats. and for the first time since i crashed, i laughed. as i always as we all always do with robin. and i felt such joy at seeing him. he had come all that way. and, you know, seeing him and laughing and enjoying each other like the old days was one of the first indicators that life could be good again.
chemistry between them. we both loved to laugh. we both loved to tell jokes. that s what our friendship was, was just laughs and we worked really well together. and he s just an amazing man. reporter: cameron was first cast as an extra but ended up as a principal with a speaking role. she is convinced williams helped her through a challenging period in her life. today she s a fashion designer of hand-beaded mini skirts and crystal-covered clutch bags. and robin williams lasting legacy is teaching her the value of laughter. definitely laughter is the best medicine. reporter: david louis, abc 7 news. a lesson for all of us. laughter, the best medicine, even at such a time of sorrow. you know, some of those red noses showing up on his hollywood star, the walk of fame, and at so many memorials this morning. very touching. well, that s the news for this half hour. remember to follow us on facebook at wnnfans.com.
robin williams gave us iconic moments so many still treasure. first, that memorable catchphrase nanu-nanu. reporter: nanu-nanu from mork & mindy. today, this handwritten sign at mork s tv home, you will be missed. how about the iconic wake-up call from 1987 s good morning, vietnam. good morning, vietnam! reporter: williams then carried it around the world! good morning good morning, virginia! good morning, baghdad! reporter: and even sent it up to space. good morning, discovery! reporter: dead poet s society would offer this scene and inspiration and later youthful defiance. i stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way. reporter: and fans around the world doing it too. posting these images. in his memory.
as we continue to remember, robin williams, we are discovering awe the ways he touched the lives of those closest to him. and one of his dearest friends was christopher reeve. the two met as aspiring actors in school and made a pact that would last a lifetime even after reeves death. abc s barbara walters has a special look at that incredible bond. reporter: it was 1973, two young men part of,000 students who were auditioning for just 20 spots at the prestigious julliard school of drama. and they both made it in. reeve and williams became roommates and formed a friendship that would last for decades even after death. i just want to thank, also, a very, very special person tonight. chris reeve, i miss you and i also say, may flights of angels sing to you thy sweet rest, sweet prince. good night.
government hot lines. what does this mean? correct. we talked with one major government hotline. 4,300 people calling in the day after robin williams death. we have seen a spike in this. in a way could be a silver lining, people who have been struggling with this quite some time are seeking help they need. dan childs, thank you, managing editor of our medical unit. thank you. we want everyone to know help is out there. you can call national suicide prevention line at 1-800-273-talk. michelle? thank you, devin. as we continue on world news now, robin williams and his many funny phrases. good morning, vietnam! which is your favorite? we ll look at williams impact on pop culture. ahead in our next half hour, did you ever want to get away for just an hour or so, to work without interruption or just hear yourself think? we ll look at a new app that takes away your stress. you re watching world news no