Thankful & Blessed

WRITTEN BY Rawleigh Williams III

Dear Razorback Fans,

I have a lot to be thankful for during this Thanksgiving season.

This time last year, I was rehabbing my neck after getting injured playing against Auburn and that was a lot to go through. At that point, I thought I would never get to play football again and lead a normal life.

To be where I am right now – leading the SEC in rushing yards, competing for the chance to get the rushing title and being around my teammates – is a blessing and it’s something I don’t take for granted.

My faith in God has helped me tremendously during the past year. I’m a spiritual person thanks to my mom who ministers on top of her job and my grandfather, who is a pastor.

Rawleigh Williams

When I was laying down on the field at Razorback Stadium during the Auburn game last November, I couldn’t control my arms. At that point, I was starting to panic. I didn’t know how bad it was going to be after I saw how scared my mom and dad were that day.

Everything happened so quickly – the ambulance ride, getting X-rays, being inside the MRI machine and getting rushed into surgery – it was a weird situation.

It’s crazy to think about it now because it was only a year ago. I remember watching TV with my family in my hospital room after surgery and I was trying to look around and I could barely turn my head. I didn’t know what my future would be like. I wasn’t even thinking about football; I wanted to be a normal kid again. I was thinking about class and being my usual self because at that point I was in a wheelchair and it was tough.

My faith, my brother, my little sister and my parents helped me through the difficult times tremendously. And in my Razorback family, Coach Bielema was there for me all the way. He made sure that I wasn’t being pushed too much or too little. He never put any extra pressure or expectations on me … he kind of let me ease my way back into it.

I rehabbed for three weeks until my first workout and Matt Summers told me I could work out again. After that first workout, I said to myself, ‘Oh man, I want to do this again.’ I knew it immediately. I called my mom and dad about my decision and they said, ‘If you’re healthy, we’ll support you.’

RW3

When you don’t go through what I experienced last year, you take a lot of things for granted without even realizing it. So when I injured my neck, everything almost got taken away from me and it hit me that I should be more grateful than I was. Now, I live my life every day never knowing when it could end, so I never want to take anything for granted. I just want to be happy with everyone around me.

Everything could be gone just like that. It means a lot to me to have made it through the season injury free and to be healthy.

I thank God every single day for my life, my health and my strength and I make sure to include my family and friends to that prayer.

I want to wish all of my Razorback family and fans a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. Your support during the past year has meant a lot to me and my family. WPS.

Rawleigh Williams III