A NEPHEW of the famed Williams’ sisters, Alphonse reportedly never met Venus or Serena during his lifetime.
On February 3, 2022, Alphonse Williams died from a suspected overdose.
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Who was Alphonse Williams?
Due to an apparent family feud, the 21-year-old Alphonse Williams never met his aunts, tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.
Alphonse is the son of their half-sister, Sabrina.
His grandfather, Richard – portrayed in the Oscar-nominated movie, King Richard, starring Will Smith – reportedly walked out on Sabrina’s family when she was just eight.
Richard was first married to a woman named Betty Johnson, with whom he shares five children, including Sabrina.
Alphonse reportedly lived in Las Vegas with his mother and 23-year-old brother, Elijah.
What happened to Alphonse Williams?
In an exclusive chat with The Sun, Sabrina revealed Alphonse had been struggling with depression after a recent diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease, which causes a curvature of the penis.
“This hit him so hard,” she told The Sun. “He was just about to turn 22, [but] he felt like his life was ending.
“On Monday night [before he died], he said, ‘This is not going to be a life I want to live.'”
Prior to his untimely death, Sabrina revealed that Alphonse had spoken to his dad, her ex-husband to express how much he was suffering the day before he passed.
“On Thursday night, I thought he was studying and, at nine o’clock, I knocked on his bedroom door and he didn’t answer,” she recalled.
She continued: “At four in the morning, I got up, the light was still on. I said, ‘Okay, he’s studying’, but really, in my mind, I knew he was gone. I just didn’t want to face it.
“At 7.30, I texted, he didn’t answer, I immediately opened the door to his room and he had taken his life that night.”
While autopsy results have yet to be released, Alphonse, who also had bipolar disorder, is believed to have taken an overdose of unknown medication.
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Who is Richard Williams?
Born on February 14, 1942, Richard Williams is an esteemed tennis coach.
He married Betty Johnson after moving to California, having five children together: Sabrina, Richard III, Ronner, Reluss, and Reneeka.
The couple divorced in 1973, and Richard reportedly did not stay active in any of their lives.
In 1980, Richard married Oracene Price. Together, they birthed Venus and Serena Williams – two tennis legends.
After divorcing Oracene in 2002, Richard married Lakeisha Graham in 2010.
Together, they share one son: Dylan. The couple later split in 2017.
You’re not alone
SUICIDE is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Leading Causes of Death Report from 2018.
There were “more than two and half times as many suicides” in the US than there were homicides, according to the report.
For people ages 10 and 34, suicide was the “second leading cause of death” and the fourth for individuals ages 35 to 54.
Suicide is a vital health concern in the U.S. It affects all genders, races and ages.
This is why The-Sun.com launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The campaign calls on readers to discuss their mental health issues with their family, friends and health professionals. We can all pitch in to help out others who may be suffering and help save lives.
If you are struggling to cope, you are not alone. There are many free and confidential programs in the US aimed to help those who are struggling with their mental health.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health problems, these organizations are here to provide support:
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