Honoring ‘the ultimate love story’
‘Today’ show brings Windsor man who cared for wife with cancer a ‘Knock Knock Surprise!’
Richard Williams of Windsor took Wednesday off from his job as a Comcast Cable technician because he thought he was taking his wife, Paula, for a root canal. But then a knock came at the door and Williams, described as an introvert, found himself in a national spotlight. Williams was greeted by “Today” show correspondent Donna Farizan for a “Knock Knock Surprise!” segment hosted by Hoda Kotbe and Jenna Bush Hager.
“How are you feeling right now?” Farizan asked him, as a crowd of friends and family cheered nearby with balloons.
Williams replied: “I don’t know, what’s going on?”
He would soon find out his wife of 25 years didn’t need a root canal at all, the dentist was even in on the charade, showing him an impostor X-ray last week.
Paula Williams had written to the show about what she describes as the selfless, loving care her husband gave her during her breast cancer surgery and treatment.
He is a two-time kidney cancer survivor and was there every step of the way as an extraordinary encourager and caregiver.
When Paula told him the “devastating” news of her cancer about a year ago, he came right home, held her and according to Paula said, “You don’t just have breast cancer. We have breast cancer and together we’re going to fight and we’re going to win.”
During recovery he fed her, bathed her, changed her clothes, took her to the hospital at the drop of a symptom. When a drain from her double mastectomy backed up with blood that was causing pain, he tried to suck it out through the tube to relieve her pain.
When Paula’s hair started coming out he shaved her head and handed her the razor to shave his head, “so I wouldn’t feel so alone being bald.”
He even put the hair in the shape of a heart and had her stand inside.
“He kept telling me he wished it was him and not me,” Paula, 50, said. “I’m so grateful for this man. When I was weak, he made me strong.”
Rich Williams, 49, was diagnosed with kidney cancer at 35 and has beat it twice. He said his loving wife was there for him, too, every step of the way, even sleeping in the hospital with him.
He said after the surprise honor that he was “flabbergasted” and had no clue.
“I feel loved, I feel appreciated. It was amazing,” Williams said of the honor.
But he was matter of fact about his dedication.
“We vowed to each other till death do us part,” he said.
The “Today” show gave the couple a four-night, five-day all expense paid trip to the Bahamas to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary because they couldn’t do it in August, as she was in treatment. Both are in remission.
“This is the ultimate love story, Rich,” “Today” show correspondent Farizan told the man of the hour.
Paula Williams said her husband is an all around great guy, a deacon in their Bloomfield Church, The First Cathedral, a great dad and an avid volunteer. At the end of chemotherapy he got her a chihuahua and they named him Journey, because “he’s on the miracle healing journey with us,” she said.
The couple met in geography class at Central Connecticut State University. He sat next to her, she asked if he wanted to see her notes and “we’ve been inseparable ever since. They have two adult children, Christian and Trinitee. She notes Trinitee graduated with a 4.0 GPA and just like mom years ago received the president’s citation.
Hoda Kotbe and Jenna Bush Hager watched from the studio. Kotbe said they’ve done a lot of Knock Knock Surprise! segments, but the Williamses’ story was “incredible.”
Hager wiped tears from her eye as the segment ended.