Silver Fox Twin Roy: A 10-Second Video of My Late Brother Is a Precious Gift—Seven Days Before the 25th Anniversary of 9/11

Mountain Brook High School Football Coach Chris Yeager, left, shaking hands with a rival coach, played offensive lineman when 9/11 victim Dwayne Williams played wide receiver at the University of North Alabama during the early 1980s.

By Silver Fox Twin Roy Williams — Birmingham, Ala.

You know the popular phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words?”

I have a new one:

A 10-second video of my late brother is worth a million words to me.

And I received that precious gift today—exactly one week before the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon that took my brother’s life.

I had just texted Mountain Brook High School football coach Chris Yeager a link to a Facebook reel I posted inviting people to join me next Friday, September 11, in my hometown of Jacksonville, Alabama, for the “Take the Day Back Salute to Army Major Dwayne Williams” at my brother’s Pentagon Monument.

Chris will be one of the speakers at the remembrance ceremony, sharing memories of Dwayne from their days as teammates at the University of North Alabama.

Chris, who played offensive line during Dwayne’s four-year UNA football career from 1979–82, responded with a message—and a video.

“Roy, this is only a 10-second clip of Dwayne from our 1990 reunion. I wish it could have been longer. I sat the camera down and Dwayne and I spent the next few minutes talking and catching up. It was like old times.”

I clicked on the video. (See link in comments)

• 

It was dated June 30, 1990, at 7:18 p.m.

And I smiled.

There was my brother.

Classic Dwayne.

My smooth, cool older brother walked into the frame wearing shades, looking as handsome as ever. He looked at Chris and said, “What’s up, Chris?” with that familiar smile that showed off his signature Williams-gapped smile.

Then he looked to the left as another teammate called out, “Dwayne.”

And just like that, for 10 seconds, I was back in the presence of my brother.

I smiled.

Then I teared up a little.

I replayed the video several times.

For those few seconds, I wasn't watching a 36-year-old video from a football reunion.

I was watching Dwayne.

The brother I idolized as a young teen , wowed by his acrobatic catches on the Jacksonville High football team and shots as a guard on the school basketball team.

The older brother I watched make his mark on the football field at the University of North Alabama—and later as a U.S. Army Ranger and paratrooper.

And now, 25 years after his death, I had something I didn't know existed: 10 seconds of Dwayne simply being Dwayne.

That is priceless to me.

A Teammate Who Remembered

Chris Yeager is a native of Fairview, Alabama, and a graduate of the University of North Alabama, where he played offensive line for the Lions alongside Dwayne.

Chris is in his 44th year of coaching and has spent the past 21 years as the head football coach at Mountain Brook High School. His coaching career has included stops at the University of North Alabama, Austin Peay State University, the University of Alabama, Troy University and several high schools in Alabama and Georgia.

He and his wife, Elaine, have three sons: Calvin, Clay and Colton.

But next Friday, Chris won't be coming to Jacksonville simply as a longtime football coach.

He'll be coming as Dwayne's former teammate and friend.

And I am grateful that he will be there to help my family, friends and hometown community celebrate my brother's legacy 25 years after 9/11.

Dwayne's UNA Legacy

Dwayne was a popular member of the University of North Alabama football team from 1979–82.

After he died in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, UNA retired his football jersey, No. 33, in his honor.

On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, UNA Athletics paid tribute to Dwayne with a photograph of him running the football during his playing days.

That photograph—and now this 10-second video—are reminders that before Dwayne became an Army major who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, he was a son, brother, teammate, friend and hometown hero.

That's the Dwayne I want people to remember.

And that's why I am taking the day back.

Seven days from now, on September 11, 2026, my hometown of Jacksonville will gather at the Major Dwayne Williams Pentagon Monument to remember his life, honor his sacrifice and celebrate his legacy.

And thanks to Chris Yeager, I will carry a little piece of Dwayne with me that I never knew I had.

Ten seconds.

Ten priceless seconds.

Sometimes, that's all it takes to bring someone you love back to life in your heart.

Thank you, Chris.

And thank you for giving me a million words.

Read UNA's tribute to Major Dwayne Williams:https://roarlions.com/news/2020/9/10/football-in-memory-of-former-lion-major-dwayne-williams.aspx