CHARLOTTE, N.C. — During Women’s History Month, we are remembering a bright voice in a dark time.
Judy Williams, 69, passed away from lung cancer last October. Williams, a mother and grandmother, was known in the community for helping grieving families through her special support group called, "Mothers of Murdered Offspring".
Williams co-founded MOMO in 1993 after the murder of her goddaughter, Shawna Denise Hawk. Williams supported grieving families and helped them honor their loved ones with candlelight vigils and graveside balloon releases.
Erolyn Sweeney experienced Williams' kindness first hand in 2011. Her son, Cannell Jeremiah Durant was a victim of shaken baby syndrome. Williams helped Sweeney in her grieving process by talking to her, doing a graveside balloon release, and a collage in memory of CJ.
“Just to know that someone I didn't know, also cared. And she displayed such empathizing skills, not just with me, but it was good to see that she did it with everybody else,” Sweeney says.
In addition, Sweeney recalls Williams providing her input and advice for a shaken syndrome awareness walk she started.
“She just gave me encouragement and motivation,” Sweeney says.
MOMO Administrator Lisa Crawford says Williams loved the families she helped.
“She could relate, and that was just a calling on her life for this work. She felt that she could really help families in their initial crisis, the initial devastation that they felt. Giving them something to hold on to, something to remember their loved ones with, to celebrate them. But then, also, long-term just being there to support them through the journey,” Crawford says.
Crawford is now leading MOMO.
“I told her I would. She asked me. She said, 'I can rest knowing that my baby will be taken care of,'” Crawford says. “We are still grieving, but we are doing all the best we can.”
Genicia Hairston and Twanna Wilson are two of the four leaders of candlelight services.
“There was absolutely no way I couldn't, as much as Ms. Judy was a support for me and to help me get through the steps of grief. There was no way I couldn't honor her by giving myself to another family that went through the same exact thing,” Hairston says.
Hairston and Wilson understand grief. They both had loved members who were murder victims.
“Because of who Ms. Judy was and how she was in her personal life, and when she had to go out, it was phenomenal,” Wilson says. “Just opened me up to be able to give back to the community even more.”
They are all continuing Williams' legacy to continue supporting grieving families.
“We can’t allow her dream to fade away,” Crawford says.
Crawford says Williams left money for the organization after her passing.
Williams received several community awards and recognitions for her work and she’s now one of the finalists in the renaming of the Barringer Academic Center.