Terrell Williams

It’s astonishing how much can happen in five years. I can remember my teachers asking me as a youth, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”. While that question has always been hard to answer, it felt impossible to answer after a narrow escape from death. 

On a warm spring day in 2017, I left my car running as I quickly ran in a convenience store. I was in the store for less than one minute. Upon my exit, I was confronted with a thief attempting to steal my car. As I realized what was happening, I pulled out my gun, loaded the chamber, and pointed my gun in the direction of the thief. Little did I know, the thief had multiple people across the street looking out for him. As soon as they saw my gun, they started firing their own weapons. As a result of the attempted carjacking, I suffered two gunshot wounds. One bullet entered my chest, drove through my right lung, and then exited my body after striking my spine. Another bullet pierced the right side of my neck and became lodged in the left side of my chin. 

In that moment, I knew I was going to die. There was no way I could survive such a significant injury. Before I took my last breath, there was one last thing that I needed to do, pray. I vividly remember pleading to God, saying the same words over and over, “God, please take care of me”. As I write these words today, it is clear he did more than take care of me. God strengthened, guided, and propelled me to a level I never knew was imaginable. 

I grew up in a neighborhood where the options seemed limited, however, I now see that is far from the truth. The truth is, we rarely see all our options due to a toxic smoke bomb of uncertainty, fear, and disinformation. While this is the case for many others like me, defying the odds, overcoming adversity, and navigating unforeseen circumstances are attributes we are all capable of developing. However, trying to accomplish this alone is 10x harder.  

Over the past five years, I’ve been blessed to have the support and guidance of family and friends, but today, I specifically want to acknowledge the impact Whitney/Strong has had on my journey. When I first met Whitney, we were at a trauma survivors’ event at University of Louisville Hospital. We’re in a club that nobody ever wants to join, but I’m extremely grateful that our paths crossed. Through gun violence, we developed an unbreakable bond that has led to more than I ever could have expected. 

For starters, I was introduced to an amazing group of people that I otherwise wouldn’t have been introduced to. At first, it felt like I came from a different Louisville than many of the people I was brought into contact with. Gun violence was a part of everyday life for me, and the people I met had only recently been impacted by gun violence. However, working with the board and other W/S supporters, I saw and felt their support to not only end mass gun violence, but various types of gun violence, including the form I was most familiar with. This showed me that people from outside the neighborhood do genuinely care about the well-being of people like myself, which, in my eyes, meant that change isn’t just possible, but it is imminent. 

The story doesn’t stop there. As I get older, I realize that continuously developing personally and professionally is a must if we want to make the biggest impact we can before our short time on Earth is over. W/S is providing me with the opportunity to do just that by gaining real-world experience in a field that I love. Through W/S, I have not only been able to develop accounting skills that will aid me in succeeding in an ever-changing industry, but it has also helped me build a resume like no other. A resume that has led to my enrollment in grad school. 

In the Spring, I will be graduating from the University of Louisville with my bachelor’s degree in accounting. In the Fall, I will be starting the Jenkins MAC program at North Carolina State University. To make things even grander, I received a firm-sponsored scholarship from RSM US that ensures grad school is paid for in full and provides me with a full-time position upon graduation!

If someone asked me five years ago where I thought I would be today, it sure as hell wouldn’t be the reality of my situation. But that’s what is so rewarding about staying persistent, open-minded, and surrounded by loved ones. You look up, and BOOM, the fruits of your labor are more than you ever could have imagined. Even though we all will have different paths in life, anything that can be dreamed, can be achieved. I’m beyond grateful that W/S has contributed and will continue to contribute to the success of my journey through opportunities, friendships, and love.