Brian Williams, a 24-year-old former Dallas football star, passed away over the weekend after experiencing a medical issue following a half marathon in Irving, according to his family.
In 2018, Williams, a first-time all-state honors football player at Bishop Dunne, was picked as the Defensive Player of the Year by The Dallas Morning News. Williams, a Falcon, was known for his gentle and modest soul, according to his high school.
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Teachers and coaches from Bishop Dunne High School, Williams’ alma mater, gave their comments on his life and impact.
The school released a statement that reads in part, “While we post a number of Falcon family deaths, it is especially difficult when we must share the death of someone who leaves us so early in life. Brian Williams ’19, who graduated with an engineering degree from Texas A&M last year, passed away due to a severe heat stroke during a half marathon last weekend, according to his brother Rawleigh.”
Bishop Dunne’s dean of students, Walter Johnson, said that he was shocked by the news. “I just couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t believe it,” he told NBCDFW. “It wasn’t until I was able to contact [my brother] and say, ‘Who are you talking about?’ that I really understood that it was our Brian Williams—the Brian Williams that was on the track, the Brian Williams that was in my choir.”
He added, “Brian was a very impactful young man. A man of purpose and high on principles.”
Michael Alfers, his former teacher and assitant principal, described him as a young man of exceptional character who was more than just an athlete.
“I teach an eighth-grade religion class, and yesterday when we had class, I actually talked about Brian, because I felt it was important that they knew what type of person he was,” Alfers said.
His former teachers noted that he was the kind of person who led a life based on faith, principles, and purpose.
According to Kevin Braun, a former Bishop Dunne instructor, “He never let the adulation go to his head and was able to connect with everyone.”
A national Top 100 recruit in the Class of 2019, Williams chose Texas A&M for school, where he played over three seasons. He graduated from the university with a degree in engineering in 2024 and was working in the Dallas-Fort Worth area at the time of his death.
Mike Elko, head football coach at Texas A&M, also issued a statement, saying, “The Texas A&M Football Family is heartbroken by the sudden passing of Brian Williams. Brian was a beloved son, brother, teammate, and Aggie. He was an outstanding young man, on and off the field, and will be missed by all who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Williams family.”
