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by Rese Williams
I’m from Wilmington, North Carolina. I lived there for 19yrs until I went off to college in Maryland to chase my dreams of playing Division 1 lacrosse. I was raised by my mother (Sharon) & my grandmother (Walla). I’m the youngest of four. I have an older brother and two older sisters. My journey starts back to about six or seven years old, I remember looking around my family and saying I have no role models besides my mom and grandmother. I could probably count on one hand how many people were married, and it just didn’t seem right to me. I remember dreaming one day I’ll be in the NFL or NBA.
I truly from a young age wanted to change my family’s dynamic and be that person everyone in my family could look up to, so I think that was the first promise I ever made to God. My mom and grandmother always told me to put my faith into God, so praying and giving it all to God was something I always did. I grew up going to church with my grandmother, but we went from church to church so I never really had one to call home. I thank God he put two strong women in my life to raise me. My mom and grandmother instilled great values in me from a young age, showing me how to be a young man which was hard, two women trying to raise a man, trusting in myself that I can do anything, and just how you should treat others how you would like to be treated. To this day I am a huge mom & grandma’s boy. I played football, basketball, and lacrosse in high school because I wanted to go to college but knew SPORTS would be my only way out. I played sports with a lot of passion, emotion, and anger. All of those things stimulated from never having my dad around. Growing up I never met my father and always felt like I had a chip on my shoulder. I always felt like I had to prove myself and make a name for myself, that one day he would see my name and come back, but that never happened. I think around 19 or 20 years old I stopped waiting for my dad to show up, and told myself later in life I would be the father to my kids that I never had. I’ve learned over the years to let the hate and anger go and focus on being the best person I can be. I prayed a lot for an answer, and one day I woke up and realized God gave me everything I ever needed which is my mom and grandmother.
“I learned over the years to let the hate and anger go, focus on being the best person I can be.. I realized God gave me everything I ever needed”
2014 I graduated high school and went off to Maryland to make a name for myself and following my dreams to play D1 lacrosse. My first year I struggled. My mom lost her job, my sister was in a really bad place and was contemplating suicide. I always prayed and believed in God even if I wasn’t in church every Sunday. I felt like the conversations I had with God was the most important thing. Growing up all I ever had was my family, so going through all of this put me in a really tough place mentally. Do I leave school go home and get a job and help my family out or do I (let go and let God) meaning leaving it all in God’s hands and having faith they would figure it out? I think the only thing that could have saved me in those moments was God putting the friends that turned to family in Maryland in my life. I remembered then what my mom always told me, she would say “You attract angels,” God truly knew I needed them! College was eye opening for me and really demanded a lot! Trying to balance school work, playing lacrosse, and trying to build a relationship with 30 plus guys from different states, remembering my foundation, and worrying about my family.
When I went to Cleveland State University I was the oldest on the lacrosse team and the only junior. My coaches preached to me, “you’re not here just for lacrosse, we are going to make sure you graduate college, and have life lessons before you leave here.” I did what I needed to do to graduate college. I felt like this was bigger than me, and I had to make a change for the young ones in my family and show them if I could make it they could to! I finished my two years at my community college and received my dream of playing D1 lacrosse for Cleveland State University. The two years at CSU were the best times of my life!
What came next was all God’s plan. I graduated from CSU and took my talents to Florida. I really can’t say why Florida, I really just think God put it on my heart, and all my life I followed every adventure God threw my way and every new door opening came with such large growth for me! God was the catalyst for me continuing to follow my dreams, He would steer me only in the right direction of whatever my next step should be. In my heart I felt like I was coming to start life, my life!
Once again I moved to a new state not knowing anyone but knowing God put it in my heart that I’m supposed to be here. I came to FL to start my life and a family. I’ve been in Florida for about a year and a half now, and I can finally say I have a church home. I took a leap of faith and decided law enforcement was my next step. I love what I do and it’s the best way to give back and help people which I truly love doing. I’m living in a great city and I’m happy with everything God has shown me on this path. I truly believe we have to take risks in this world to find out who we truly are and how strong we are! I think God is telling me to be the great man he made me and remember all the things you had to go through to get here. I think sharing my light and heart is what he truly wants me to do and I will forever do that.
Something I truly love and stand by is the phrase “Love Yourz.”
- Rese Williams