MAY 2017 10 | FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM Photo credit: Caitlin O’Hara

MAY 2017 FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM | 11 It required a twist of fate to get to this point, a perfect alignment of career timing and success for both. Ahead of Mother’s Day, Frontdoors Media sat down with Jeri Williams and Alan Williams to talk about their relationship, what it means to give back to the community, their worries for each other and the shaping forces that propelled them. For Jeri, seeing her son on the biggest of basketball stages can be summed up in a word: blessing. “The reward is right now,” Jeri said. “I am able to see my oldest reach his pinnacle of success. How many parents get the opportunity to do that, first of all? Second, I’m blessed to be in a place where I can go to home games and see him at his best doing what he was born to do. Wow, right?” To Alan, the most important thing about his mother being police chief is how hard she worked to get where she is and to dispel the doubts of naysayers. “It’s very inspirational for me to see that if you’re determined enough, you can do it,” he said. “And to prove all the people wrong no matter what people say you are, or that you can’t do the job because you’re this or that. To prove them all wrong — that’s what the coolest thing is about her being chief.” {by mike saucier} COVER STORY