Since Shermon Williams was diagnosed with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma last month, the Pike County community has been all in to help him and his family as he gets treatments.

Last week, Williams received a critical surgery to relieve issues in his neck caused by the tumor on his vertebrae, which was greatly assisted by the funds graciously donated by the Pike County community.

“He had a neck fusion done and he came through that remarkably well; as well as any healthy person would come through it,” said Jason Jones, a fellow First Baptist Church member who helped coordinate the fundraiser. “He will now go next week to meet with cancer physicians to address all the other tumors all over him. This first treatment was to relieve some of his problems, but it was in no way to heal him.”

A faithful member of FBC Troy, when Williams was diagnosed, his church family quickly rallied to find a way to support the family for which Shermon is the sole provider. So the church partnered with Hook’s BBQ to sell $10 barbecue plates with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Williams family. The church has also set up a gofundme page for Williams at https://www.gofundme.com/f/caring-for-sherman-williams-and-family.

“The fundraiser is going better than any of us ever imagined,” Jones said. “When you include the gofundme and everything that has been taken in, we’re over $15,000 right now. The people in Pike County are just more generous than people can ever imagine.”

There’s still plenty of time to get barbecue plates, too; the tickets are valid until November 29. The vouchers include a barbecue sandwich, fries and a drink and are valid through November 29, so there is still plenty of time to purchase tickets. Tickets can be picked up at First Baptist Church from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, at Jones Medical Supply from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and a variety of other locations where FBC members have tickets available.

“Just ask and you’ll be able to find some,” Jones said. “People are donating various ways through various avenues.”

This is not the first time the community has rallied around Williams and his family. In 2016, many people volunteered their time and effort to help the family build a Habitat for Humanity Home for his family to live in.

Williams had met members of First Baptist through community baseball and transformed his life, and members of the church encouraged him and helped him along the path to apply for the Habitat Home to move his family out of public housing.

Williams expressed gratitude for all that his friends and the community did for him then, and is doing again for him now.

“God led me to this community and these brothers and sisters in Christ and me and my family are so grateful,” Williams said. “All glory is to God always,” Williams said. His mercy and His grace is on me. My support from my wife and kids and family and brothers and sisters in Christ – this all gets me through these hard times. The Lord is always with me.”

Williams’ friends attest that he is always ready to share his testimony, and nothing has changed with the cancer.

“Everyone needs to know God,” Williams said. “Grace is for everyone who believes, it’s what matters the most in this life. I just want everyone to know that God loves tou even in your sins. He’s there for you.”