ALMOST twenty years after a tsunami 8000 kms away changed Mario Williams’ life forever, he shares his story through a thought-provoking book and invites book lovers to meet with him for a book launch at Agape Coffee shop in Kariega.
Having lost a dear friend and all memory of the day of the incident, Williams rebuilt his life and now shares his story and the lessons he has learnt.
The Kariega born author is returning to his hometown for the launch of his book “i WILLed 2 LIVE” which takes the reader on a journey of empathy and self-discovery.
There are limited seats available for the February 26 launch. So be sure to sign up soon.
Williams started writing the book after waking up from a coma with memory loss and discovering that he and one of his best friends were washed out to sea while swimming at Blue Horizon Bay.
The NSRI at the time blamed the tidal phenomenon of December 26 2004 that led to the accident on a ripple effect of a tsunami that battered the Southeast Asian coastline more than 8000 km away.
While Williams was found, albeit battered and unconscious, his friend Hamish Weitz – who he later named one of his children after- was never recovered.
“I have absolutely no memory of the day, nor the incident. It seems to be trauma-induced. I have vague recollection of days after I awoke from the coma,” says Williams who in the book shares the trauma of realizing weeks later that not only was his friend gone, but he didn’t remember that they were together that day and it didn’t occur to him to ask where he was.
The book looks into the trauma of survivors’ guilt and how to overcome this and other destructive events and feelings.
“Hamish and I grew quite close as friends. We were together in the praise and worship team, and I was coordinator of the adult group that he was part of, “ said Williams.
As the foreword says “This book exemplifies the idea that regardless of one’s initial circumstances in life, the will to live can persist, even if the ultimate destination is never reached.”
In the book Williams references the dramatic nature of his rescue, resuscitation and evacuation, and a chat with a former mentor as the inspiration for part of the book title.
Through various chapters Williams talks about how the incident shaped him as a person and affected parts of his life and his loved ones in different ways.
The husband and father of three admits that what happened in a split second has had life-long consequences.
“No physical injuries aside from the cuts around my hand due to the fishing line, which healed with no scarring. I was physically unstable on my feet after I awoke from the coma and was released from hospital. There was concern about potential damage to my brain due to the time without oxygen,” although he has been able to go on to live a healthy life he was plagued with headaches, dizziness and feeling unstable on his feet for months after the incident.
In addition, Williams developed a fear of being in water, both swimming pools and the ocean and had to work hard consciously to overcome the newly acquired phobia.
In his book Williams does not only focus on the obvious tragedy or the loss of his friend, but also looks at his will to live in a broader sense. He talks about how he willed to survive this and other life events, detailing how he kept going against all odds. The book reflects on insights of how Mario developed the required mindset, made the big and small decisions, and took concrete action to overcome and emerge a ‘better’ person.
Characterized by a conversational writing style, the book aims to transport the reader into the realm of each event, as if it’s happening RIGHT NOW, and moreover, will nudge them to think critically about it, as if a participant therein. “Feeling the joys, the heartache, the pain, the victories, the highs and the lows, and ultimately, the empowerment that says, I too can BE it, I too can DO it, I too can HAVE it!”
With pointed examples from lived experiences rather than theoretical constructs and research findings, this book looks to inspire active readers to navigate life for optimal living, no matter how little or much you have.
The key message Mario wants readers to take away from this book is that as human beings we have the power to determine how alive we are and our destiny in life, by how we choose to exercise our powerful independent will daily.
To RSVP to attend the launch to be hosted on Friday, 26 January 2024 at Agape Coffee Shop, 6-8pm), visit https://forms.office.com/r/eViyHEYh5j
The book is available in paperback and as an ebook on Amazon Kindle via https://www.amazon.com/WILLed-LIVE-Miracle-Truly-Exist-ebook/dp/B0CQ5PJ3CT/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
It is also available directly from the author at R234.00 (excluding postage if applicable) by completing the order form via https://forms.office.com/r/cdUcuCBtVq or from his personal website https://miraclemario.co.za.
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