Williams: A daughter’s story of recovery

Published 6:37 pm Thursday, December 9, 2010

When Hank Williams Jr. was 26 years old he was severely injured in a fall from a mountain in Montana. His recovery was long and difficult.

Hillary Williams was 27 when she was severely injured in a car accident in 2006. She is still recovering.

The stories of the father and daughter are much the same. They both refused to give in to their injuries and both were determined that their injuries would not sidetrack their lives or stifle their dreams.

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On Saturday, Hillary Williams will be at the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery from 1 to 3 p.m. for a book signing for her book, “Sign of Life.”

Williams said that although the book includes information about her family, it is actually a book of inspiration.

Williams and her sister, Holly, were traveling through Mississippi on their way to the funeral of a family member when the accident occurred. Holly received only minor injuries but Hillary’s body was crushed below the waist.

“I actually died at the scene of the accident but they (paramedics) brought me back,” she said. “Everything was broken or crushed, my legs, my hips, my back. I was in the hospital for more than a month and then back and forth through 23 surgeries. I was in a wheelchair for two-and-a-half years and bed-ridden part of that time. I only recently put my cane down, except when I have to walk long distances.”

During the many surgeries, there was doubt that Hillary would walk again. But she never gave in to those thoughts.

“I did a lot of positive thinking and read the Bible and I believed that I would walk again and come back stronger than ever,” Hillary said.

The story of her struggle through nearly three years of pain and uncertainty is told in “Sign of Life,” which is also the name of Hillary’s song that can be downloaded on iTunes.

Her hope is that others can find inspiration in her story, which is intertwined with that of her dad.

Hillary is a singer/songwriter in Nashville and said that, although she can sing country music, her voice is more pop.

She will perform Saturday night at Nobles in downtown Montgomery with a group of friends, Bobby Tomberlin, Candi Carpenter and Shayne Fair.