While

details are still coming through via Washington Media Relations; we learned just

a short time ago that Husky safety Curtis Williams has passed away. We received

a confirmation from the University that Curtis passed early this morning,

reportedly from complications arising from his paralysis. Williams just turned

24 on Saturday...

"I've been lucky, I'm thankful for the

support of the city and the school." Curtis said last week after coming back to

Husky Stadium for the first time since he had played there as a Husky before he

suffered the catastrophic spinal injury which rendered Williams paralyzed with

the need of a respirator.

Curtis was a special person, a special athlete,

and a tremendous inspiration to his teammates; before--and after his departure

from the Husky team he gave so much of his heart and soul to.

Husky fans will never forget the game in which

Curtis hit a Stanford player head on and went down, never to rise on his own

again. That day, the 2000 Husky squad rallied and kept an inspired

momentum which carried them all the way to the Rose Bowl. Rick Neuheisel stood

in the middle of the field after the victory with a rose in hand, and looking up

towards the press box where Williams sat in his wheelchair, Neuheisel cried out,

"This one's for you Curtis, we did it baby."

Curtis hadn't been back to the University since

that year.

We at Realdawg.com salute this great Husky. Words

are hard to find which can describe the emotions which surround us, and will

most likely be on the hearts of all Husky fans, the staff, and college football

fans in general who have been touched by Curtis' story.

My hands are shaking as I write this today, and

my eyes filled with tears...some tears are in awe, knowing that our God has

provided a way for us to transition into a better place where there is no pain,

no suffering, and no more death. A place where this young man is now able to

walk again, to run again, and to be everything that God the Father had intended

for him to be on the day he came into this world.

But then I am sad, very sad. If there is anything

consoling at all, Curtis fell into this circumstance doing something he loved

doing; playing football. And playing the game with passion for the team he

loved.

As a writer, I can't help but think that perhaps

the one thing Curtis needed might have been to come back to his beloved Stadium

and see this place one more time. We don't know yet if he knew the time of his

passing was near. Nor do we know if he even thought to himself that this was one

thing he had to do....no one will ever know.

But what comes to mind are the inspired and

poetic words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who, only a short time

before he died, said:

Washington: Big hitter in the Husky

secondary ... also a valued member of Washington's special teams ... teams with

Hakim Akbar as returning starting safeties ... played free safety in 1999, but

moves back to strong safety for his senior campaign.

2000: Started at free safety in the

Huskies first eight games, extending a streak of 20 consecutive starts dating

back to last season … was in the top three in tackles in seven of those games …

earned co-defensive MVP honors for one-sack, six-tackle performance at Colorado

… one of four players to share defensive MVP honors in Huskies 36-24 comeback

win over California … pulled down a third MVP award for performance at Stanford,

finishing second on the team in tackles with nine, in just three quarters … at

the time of his injury, ranked 18th in the Pac-10 min tackles … credited with

three passes defensed … key component of an improved Husky secondary that

grounded opposing quarterbacks … in six of Williams’ eight games, Husky

opponents threw for less than 215 yards … had two sacks on the season … tight

coverage helped Washington rank in the top half of the Pac-10 in sacks, a year

after finishing last in that category.

1999: Finally found a home at free safety

after playing several different positions (including tailback) earlier in his

career...started all 11 regular-season games at free safety...one of just four

defensive players to start all 11 games this year...tied for second on the team

with 69 total tackles...led the Husky defense with 48 solo tackles...credited

with breaking up four passes during the season...top tackling game was 13 stops

vs. UCLA...picked up his first career sack vs. California...recorded his first

career interception vs. Arizona State...had five tackles vs. Kansas State in the

Holiday Bowl ... an honorable mention All-Pac-10 selection...named the KOMO-Radio

Co-Outstanding Special Teams Player of the Year...presented the Chuck Niemi Big

Hit Award at the annual team banquet.

1998: Appeared in five games to earn his

first letter ... first game came vs. Nebraska ... started the season at free

safety but practiced as a tailback at the end of the year ... effective special

teams player as an outside "flyer" on Husky punt coverage teams ... finished the

season with 18 tackles ... recovered a fumble vs. Utah State.

High School and Personal: Born May 4, 1978

... parents are Donnie and Viola ... both are retired ... is seventh of eight

children ... six older siblings are David, Donna, James, Pat, Robert, and

William ... younger brother is Paul ... rated as one of the top five running

backs in Western U.S. by Blue Chip Illustrated ... prep All-America selection by

Blue Chip Illustrated ... received four votes in the Long Beach Press Telegram's

"Best in the West" poll ... selected to the Tacoma News Tribune's "Western 100"

team and All-State squad ... named to the all-California team by Cal-Hi Magazine

... scored 31 touchdowns as a senior to raise his prep total to 72, the

second-best mark in sectional history ... had 11 rushing TDs of at least 50

yards ... rushed for over 1,400 yards as a senior ... totaled over 2,100

all-purpose yards as a running back and receiver during his senior season ...

league MVP as a senior ... picked up all-state honors for his play at defensive

back as a sophomore and junior, and at all-around athlete as a senior ... was a

first-team all-conference pick as a sophomore at Coalinga High School ... a

member of SuperPrep's All-Far West team ... pursuing a degree in American ethnic

studies.