Shannon Williams is a mom who works hard and loves harder. Those who know her say that Shannon would do anything for her kids, 7-year-old Victoria Williams and 3-year-old Malachi Johns; that her whole life is centered on them. Those who know Shannon Williams would also say that she can’t seem to catch a break.

You just keep going

Shannon lost her husband unexpectedly due to Lupus complications that ultimately resulted in sepsis. It was a blow, but Shannon kept going. She had to, because she had Victoria to think about, and that’s what a good parent does — you just keep going. Shannon had received her degree in Criminal Justice from Southeast Community College and had been working as a manager at a local convenience store while she found something in her field. She continued in that position, as it helped with the daunting mountain of debt, and her mom, Diana, could watch Victoria.

The unthinkable happens

Diana provided so much more than daycare in those days; she was Shannon’s whole support system while she worked to make a life for them. That was a tough time, and Shannon needed her mom like crazy and hoped she knew how much Shannon appreciated her. A year after her husband passed, though, the unthinkable happened: Shannon lost her mom unexpectedly, too.

Just trying to make ends meet

On top of the compounded grieving process — that’s a lot of loss for one lady and her kiddo — there was a whole new set of problems for Shannon to face. Shannon’s hours at the store didn’t work with a daycare or school schedule, and she eventually lost her job. Shannon spent several years trying to find jobs to support her herself and Victoria, but she was never really able to find one that allowed her to make ends meet, and their financial situation remained pretty bleak, so Shannon just did the best she could to make Victoria feel safe and loved and provided for. That’s all she could do.

A new blessing arrived on the family scene three years ago: a cute little guy by the name of Malachi. Malachi was born with kidney disease, which means additional care, some adaptations for the family, and of course more sacrifices. It’s really hard to find a job that works with the kids’ schedules, so paycheck-to-paycheck living has become the norm for Shannon. As long as her kids are happy and know they are loved, it’s OK, but she worries when she can’t be there for them because of work, or get them everything they need.

Time to turn things around

Alyson Northup, Shannon's nominator, hopes that “things can turn around for this family,” and that maybe some extra holiday joy could be the start of something good for Shannon and her little crew. UBT agrees that holiday joy is indeed in order, and we arranged to make that happen.