Henry “Gizmo” Williams Brings Message of Faith, Resilience and Hope to Edmonton
For decades, Henry “Gizmo” Williams has been one of Edmonton’s most beloved sports figures. But behind the football legend is a story of faith, personal struggle, and an enduring belief in the power of hope.
The former Edmonton Eskimos star will share that story as a featured speaker at The Salvation Army’s Hope in the City event in Edmonton on November 26 at the Fantasyland Hotel, offering a message about overcoming adversity, believing in yourself, and finding strength during life’s darkest moments.
For Williams, faith has been a guiding force since childhood, even before he fully understood what it meant.
“My auntie always used to say, ‘There’s a light at the end of the tunnel,’” he recalls. “I never understood what she meant. All I could see was darkness.”
Born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Mississippi, Williams witnessed friends take paths that led to addiction, incarceration and premature death. He was also impacted by the premature loss of his parents, with his brother Edgar raising him. Yet he believes God helped keep him on the right path, eventually leading him to a successful football career and a new life in Canada.
“Without faith, I probably wouldn’t even be here today,” he says.
“I took the long way. That’s why I believe there’s always been something down the road for me.”
Despite his success on the football field, Williams has faced challenges that tested his faith and resilience. Among the most difficult was the passing of his oldest brother, Edgar, who died from MS at the age of 31. Edgar had played a vital role in Henry’s upbringing; at just 21 years old, after his parents died, he dropped out of school to hold the family together and raise his younger siblings, ultimately saving the family and lifting them out of poverty. Losing the brother who had sacrificed so much for him left Williams struggling with confidence and finding little joy in activities he once loved.
“Things that normally made me happy didn’t make me happy anymore,” he recalls. “I had to find a way to build myself back up.”
During that difficult period, Williams turned to God for strength.
“For days, for months, for years, I said, ‘Oh God … I don’t know if I can,’” he recalls. “And every day, when I thought I couldn’t do it, He woke me up and I kept moving.”
That experience reinforced his belief that faith and personal determination go hand in hand.
“You’ve got to have that strong belief in yourself too, and you’ve got to want to do it,” he says.
It’s a message that resonates with The Salvation Army’s Christian mission of sharing hope and offering practical support to people experiencing hardship.
Williams also credits the people of Edmonton with giving him a sense of belonging he had never experienced before. Although born in the United States, he found a home in Canada, where he was embraced by football fans and the wider community.
“The way they’ve embraced me is incredible,” he says. “When people talk about the great ones, they bring up my name alongside those guys. I feel very honoured that people recognize me like that.”
Beyond football, Williams admires Edmonton’s generosity and commitment to helping others.
“Edmonton does a lot of fundraising to help the community,” he says. “That’s the most important thing: helping the community.”
Today, Williams hopes his experiences will encourage others to persevere, even when the road ahead seems uncertain.
For him, the light his aunt spoke about so many years ago has finally become visible.
“As I kept going forward and moving forward, I started to see the light,” he says. “Now I can see it.”
At Hope in the City, Williams will share that message with an Edmonton community that has given him so much: whatever challenges life brings, there is always reason to keep moving forward. Reserve your seat today and be part of an afternoon that promises to inspire, uplift and make a lasting impact. Visit HopeYEG.ca for tickets and event details.