Alabama man remembers his brother on 9/11

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - It’s been 19 years since our country was forever changed following terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Nearly 3,000 people died on that day.

One of them was heavily decorated Army Major, Dwayne Williams, from Jacksonville, Alabama, and his brother is keeping his memory alive.

For Roy Williams, Dwayne was more than just a big brother…he was his hero.

And while he says he is learning to cope with the loss of his brother, this day never gets any easier for he and his family.

Roy said his last conversation with Dwayne was three days before the 9/11 attacks.

Roy was excited to share the news that he and his wife were expecting their second child, and they made arrangements for when Dwayne would meet his new nephew.

Unfortunately, that meeting would never happen.

Dwayne was among those killed at the pentagon when terrorist hijacked planes, crashing into the building.

Roy said the pain of that day 19 years ago is still just as fresh, but he continues to remind everyone of the unity that followed this tragedy.

“I’m hoping that for one day, today on September 11th, in memory, in honor of the nearly 3,000 heroes who died on 9/11 that people will put aside their racial difference, they will put aside their political differences and unite,” Roy said.

Roy said it is tough reliving his brother’s death every year, and he said he still has trouble sleeping the night before.

But he said sharing Dwayne’s story is keeps his brother’s memory alive and shows terrorists that they can’t destroy the faith and resilience of the Williams family.

Copyright 2020 WBRC. All rights reserved.