Ted Williams is reunited with his 90-year-old mother
Ted Williams, the homeless man with the golden voice, was reunited with his 90-year-old mother, Julia Williams, on Thursday in New York, just hours after he spoke of her tearfully on the "Today" show.
Crying "Mommy, mommy," according to the Columbus Dispatch, Williams ran to his mother across a conference room in Manhattan. She embraced him after declaring that her "prodigal son" had returned. They hadn't seen each other in almost 20 years.
A reunion anticipated to happen at LaGuardia Airport -- Julia was escorted there by "The Early Show" host Chris Wragge to meet her son as he got off the plane from Ohio -- was delayed when Ted was whisked away by the another news crew, CBS News said.
"God has answered my prayer," Julia said on "The Early Show," acknowledging that it hurt to miss her son at the airport. "I prayed that I would live to see this time when he would do well." Her son was being interviewed by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira at almost the same time on "Today."
Julia Williams, incidentally, has quite a lovely voice herself.
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-- Christie D'Zurilla
Reuters contributed to this report.
Top photo: Ted Williams, the homeless man with the golden voice, is reunited with his mother, Julia Williams, 90, in a New York office conference room on Thursday. Credit: Doral Chenoweth III / Columbus Dispatch / Associated Press
Bottom photo: Ted Williams shows reporters on Wednesday where he'd been living on the north side of Columbus, Ohio. Credit: Doral Chenoweth III / Columbus Dispatch / Associated Press
God bless you. Stay strong. I wish you only the best!!!!!
Posted by: K | Jan 06, 2011 at 04:57 PM
I thank and praise God for His Mercy!!! God bless you and your Mom, Ted!!! Please give all the glory to God and thank HIM every moment of your life.
josephine, New york
Posted by: Josephine | Jan 06, 2011 at 05:10 PM
I wish you all the best !!!
Posted by: Chris | Jan 06, 2011 at 05:15 PM
This guy must be having the best week ever.
Posted by: moonginger | Jan 06, 2011 at 05:23 PM
Serve the Lord Jesus from now on give Him the praise and all the honor!!! May the Lord keep you safe. I am happy for you!!!
Posted by: Janet | Jan 06, 2011 at 05:26 PM
Ted you've been given a second chance and as long as you keep God in your life and everything that you do, you will be fine. I'm really happy that you've been discoveed...I don't know how you've managed to keep your voice in hiding this long. You have a beautiful voice...
Posted by: Heather Lloyd | Jan 06, 2011 at 05:29 PM
God has answered your prayers bro. God bless, be strong and do all that you can do. If you remember thi,s we always used to say take care of mom's and forget what everyone else has to say....If you remember this.
Reach out to me....
Felix Cortez
Posted by: Felix Cortez | Jan 06, 2011 at 05:48 PM
Where was the mother when her son was homeless and desperately needed her?
Posted by: Me | Jan 06, 2011 at 07:14 PM
The actual living person to thank is the wonderful man who pulled over to tape this. HE is the one who made things happen.
Posted by: Jill | Jan 06, 2011 at 07:56 PM
amazing story love it there still are some good people left in north america...
Posted by: robin | Jan 06, 2011 at 09:05 PM
I am so happy for you, Ted. The Bible says that" the devil come to steal,kill, and destroy", but Jesus comes to give abundant life. Continue to trust in God, stay in His Word, and pray.
I shall remember to pray for you.
God bless.
LB
Posted by: Lorraine Beals | Jan 06, 2011 at 09:18 PM
Put your voice to good use. Ever thought about becoming a celebrity pastor.
Posted by: RK | Jan 06, 2011 at 11:04 PM
I think he should marry Susan Boyle. Their stories would make for the greatest movie of triumph of the human spirit ever.
Posted by: Leland Sklar | Jan 07, 2011 at 04:23 AM
that is so amazing....everyone deserves another chance...GOD BLESS
Posted by: rhonda taylor | Jan 07, 2011 at 08:41 AM
Good for you Ted Williams. You seemingly have made it out of the hole. Always remember where you were, what your experiences have been and those who are still there. Feed them, Help them, Provide them shelter, and continued blessing will be given to you.You are to do HIS will, as , He has put people in your path to provide.
Posted by: paul m | Jan 07, 2011 at 09:05 AM
To "ME" (your comment...) ("Where was the mother when her son was homeless and desperately needed her"?) Being a mother of 5 grown kids, I can say that his mother never left his side and never abandoned her son. The choices that he made in life caused him to stray away from his family. A mother's love is always wanting the best out of life for her children and when they stray away... her prayers are all she has left until they return. His mother did say, that when he would call her on the phone,(which he did often) and she would start to talk to him about the way he was living, he would cut her off and say goodbye. That is because he knew that he was breaking his mother's heart and he knew that she wanted better for her only child. Do you think that his love and respect for his mother would run so deep if she were not a good mother and didn't do her very best for her child? I would venture to say that you are not a parent... a parent would know that you can't always keep your kids from making bad decisions but you will always be there when they find their way back.
Posted by: Jennie | Jan 07, 2011 at 09:41 AM
Certainly a 'rags to riches' story. Hope that Mr. Williams can handle all this attention & remain clean & sober. Good Luck Ted!
Posted by: Green eyes | Jan 07, 2011 at 09:59 AM
Ted you are a wonderful inspiration. You put a huge smile on my face and you have no idea how much I needed that. You are right....don't judge a book by its cover because everyone has a story......
Posted by: Christine | Jan 07, 2011 at 11:03 AM
enjoy the rest of your life.you do have a golden voice you were blessed. now that u have a good foundation u may consider writing a book. i think your going to be very busy though,just start that journal. my mother was homeless for 13 yrs. she became the mother figure for the younger that lived on the streets as well. would love to share her story but knows not the time. GOD NEVER LEFT YOUR SIDE EVEN AT THE HARDEST TIMES. YOUR A VOICE FOR HIM AS WELL. PLEASE STAY STRONG. you'll always be known as the man with the GOLDEN VOICE. my god bless ,
mary topping
Posted by: MARY TOPPING | Jan 07, 2011 at 11:41 AM
This is such a heart warming story. It just goes to show you how good God is. Just when you think life has dealt you a low blow, God sends a ram in the bush. I'm still thanking God for his goodness in this mans life.
Posted by: Sandra Johnson | Jan 07, 2011 at 01:22 PM
MY mOmmy alway says, God use the one's we least expected. He did't acknowlege God when He thought about all the time He did.nt put him first in His life. He hit rock bottom to figure out that God had a plan for his life, so he stood out there with his sign all at the same time he was thanking God too even when that guy came to video him, He was smiling happy all at the same time he was still homeless But, Ain't God Good All The Time...God Wil send the right person in your life that might be a blessing to you. I just love how God do his work. Sometime you have to go through something to learn how to apprieate just the small things around you. Even Ted mention that when he was working in radio that he did'nt acknowledge God at all in his life. I wish Ted the best in life..
Posted by: CGlass | Jan 07, 2011 at 01:49 PM
Ted wishing you and your mother the best... im so happy that you both reunited it has been a true blessing. Just always keep the man upstairs in your life he is truley wonderful.. take care god bless you always !!!:)
Posted by: jenn | Jan 07, 2011 at 04:55 PM
Wow, what a wonderful God you and I serve. This year God has blessed me with the gift of His Holy Boldness, and I love to share my heartfelt testimony of what he has done for me with others, and share with them the message of salvation. Even though you were homeless, you still invited God into your home (heart), and did your best serving Him. God makes no mistakes, and that is why you were found and reunited with your dear old mom, who I am sure shed many tears for you like I did for my own son who was addicted to drugs. Thank God I didn't have to wait 20 years to see the change in my prodigal son. This year I have become involved in many peoples lives who need God DESPERATELY, and even though I myself may have been hurt inwardly by many, I know that God has a plan for me, and that is to minister to those in need. It is so exciting to see stories turn out as MIRACULOUS as yours. I, too, have experienced many miracles in my family, and life, especially in the past 5 years, and words cannot PRAISE GOD enough for picking us up when we slip and fall away from Him. I love you Ted even though I have never met you! YOU ARE MY ADOPTED BROTHER IN CHRIST!
If I never meet you personally on earth, I can be assured that we will be united in HEAVEN someday.
Posted by: Cheryl Jones | Jan 07, 2011 at 05:39 PM
Miracles do happen!!!
Posted by: Roy Jacob | Jan 07, 2011 at 06:10 PM
Mr. Williams, you are what the rest of us christians need...God Bless you
and
Iam your Brother in Jesus
Greig
Posted by: Greig Shephard | Jan 07, 2011 at 06:44 PM