NEED TO KNOW
- Lucas Williams, a runner at Arizona’s Pima Community College, lost two siblings and a former coach in the past five years
- The collegiate cross country athlete initially struggled to cope with the unexpected succession of deaths in a short time
- Williams’ coach and teammates at Pima have stepped up to support him during his grieving journey and running career
A collegiate athlete in Arizona is running toward solutions after years of facing his “darkest days” due to the deaths of three people in his life.
Growing up, Lucas Williams looked up to his brother, Jacob Sanchez, who excelled in distance running, but in 2021, Sanchez died in a car accident while Williams was in 5th grade, according to KOLD News 13.
Williams followed in his sibling’s fast footsteps, eventually winning a high school cross country championship for Laguna Acoma High in New Mexico in 2023, with state results showing him finishing the 5K race in a blistering 16 minutes and 18 seconds.
After Williams transferred to Mica Mountain High in Tucson, Ariz., during his senior year, he learned that his former running coach, Daniel Otero, had died, per the local news outlet. Not long after, his sister also died as he was preparing to begin his freshman year in college.
“I didn’t know how to cope, so I went the worst routes I could have possibly gone and, you know, I’ve seen my darkest days with those substances, and alcohol was the main part,” Williams admitted to the outlet.
Now, as a freshman cross country runner for Pima Community College in Tucson, Williams is learning to cope with the grief that comes with losing two siblings and a former coach.
Jon Harmon, the head coach of Pima’s cross country team, stepped in to become a mentor for Williams, who is Native American, amid his struggles.
“Native Americans, we tend to be a little more reserved, a little more quiet,” Harmon, who grew up on a reservation, told KOLD. “Once he’s able to trust you, he’ll run through a brick wall for you, you know?”
With help from his coach and teammates, Williams has found success during his freshman cross country season.
Recently, at the Al Shirley Invitational in Tucson on Oct. 3, Williams finished the 8K race in fifth place with a time of 30 minutes and 30 seconds, helping his team place first overall.
“They don’t know what they’ve done for me. Being themselves is what has brought me out and out of my bubble to be happy and present and train in the right way,” Williams said.
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Williams added to KOLD, “There’s a lot of days where I could switch off and cry all day if I need to, but that’s never been the correct answer, I’ve learned. Life has obstacles, and we are able to jump through those, and not by ourselves. We need family and friends to help us get there.”
Williams is studying physical therapy and someday hopes to become a physical therapist, according to his cross country bio, which lists his current 5K personal best (PB) as 15 minutes and 51 seconds, his 3,200 PB as 9 minutes and 44 seconds and his mile PB as 4 minutes and 53 seconds.
Read the original article on People