Laura Coral / Roundup, Helen Rameriz / Roundup
Ambitious, kind-hearted and humble are just a few of the many positive words used to describe Erik Williams.
Williams is the director of the non-profit organization “Living Our Real Dreams,” which he founded in 2001.
For Williams, the best thing about the holiday season is giving back to others.
“I wanted to do stuff in the community and I chose to do the toy and book drive,” he said.
Williams has teamed up with the Pierce College Associated Students Organization for its annual toy and book drive.
“We not only give toys, but we actually go in the hospitals and read books to the children,” Williams explained.
Williams’ involvement in the ASO goes back to 2004, when he was the student body president of Pierce.
His inspiration for his charitable work is something he refers to as both an “accident and blessing.”
In 1997, Williams was involved in a car accident in Salt Lake City, Utah that would change his life forever. He sustained injuries from the accident that left him with a broken neck and paralyzed from the chest down.
“I was in the hospital for like a year after I broke my neck, and they put me in the Pediatrics unit. I don’t know why, because I was 26 years old,” Williams said.
Williams recalls during the year after his car accident he was in a state of shock.
“The first year I just went through the motions,” Williams said.” “You wake up every day, thinking, ‘Is this real?'”
Williams went through extreme depression, recalling how “so many emotions” went through him while in the hospital.
He credits “the strength that children have rubbed off on me” for giving him hope.
To continue his recovery, Williams flew out to Los Angeles and entered the Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center.
It was in Los Angeles that Williams decided to continue his education and chose to enroll at Pierce.
During his time here, Williams became a member of the ASO and eventually earned his degree in business.
Marie Crowe, secretary of Living Our Real Dreams, started helping the foundation in 2003. Crowe is a grandmother and says she loves children.
“I get fulfillment to see the faces of children light up,” Crowe said.
Crowe feels the children relate to Williams because of his disability.
Referring to Williams’ attitude, Crowe said, “When he comes into a room, he just lights it up.”
“Everything with him is always positive,” she said.
Yoshi Sok has been with the foundation for about 10 years. Sok is a magician who performs “eye candy magic tricks,” which are simple tricks that are easily performed.
“It’s a rewarding feeling because magic communicates with everyone,” Sok said. “The children in pediatrics care don’t get a chance to have Christmas at home so we bring it to them.”
Williams, now 39 and the father of two girls, has created a respectable charity and a television show called “The Beautiful World.”
He cites his daughters as a major influence for wanting to create such a show.
“I wanted to create a show to educate my daughters. The show focuses on character education,” he said.
Williams is currently in the process of finding a production company to pick up “The Beautiful World.”
In addition to his television show, Williams is training four days a week for the hand cycling marathon he is going to participate in Sept. 11, 2010.
Titled “Project Love,” this is yet another charitable event Williams is behind.
“I’m going to hand cycle across America 3,000 miles. We are going to raise money for children who lost their parents in the war,” Williams said. “Also, we are raising money for two scholarships.”
Williams has already accomplished so much this far in his life and knows the importance of not taking anything for granted.
“I’m just living my life because God gave me a second chance,” he said. “I reach out as much as I can. I have an appreciation of what I do have.
“I wasn’t a giver before I was injured, but you realize what life is and how important it is to reach out and do positive,” he said.
To make a donation to any one of Williams’ charities, visit his site at livingourrealdreams.com.
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