A perfect match

Jaison Williams gets it.

The Hewitt-Trussville High School senior has seen it all, and at such a young age, has persevered through ups and downs to find himself staring at a walk across the stage at graduation that will symbolize another huge milestone in his life.

In and out of foster homes until eighth grade, he was nearly ready to give up. 

“I didn’t know how much longer I could take it,” he said. “But I knew God had a plan, so I stuck with it and kept pushing.”

Ashley Williams and her husband, Jamie, had three children already and the couple was content with the family as it was then constructed. But the best-laid plans of men don’t always unfold exactly as expected.

“God put it on our hearts,” Ashley Williams said. “I always had a heart for adoption.”

The story took off from there.

The couple began taking adoption courses and set the process in motion, but had no idea what the conclusion would be. Then one day, at a church staff meeting at the family’s church home, the First Baptist Church of Trussville, a woman asked for prayer for her sister.

Her sister, a teacher at Clay-Chalkville Middle School, was devastated at the likelihood that one of her favorite students — Jaison — would have to move from his current foster home.

The situation was not perfect, however. The Williams thought they would adopt in birth order, leaving Drew (currently in 11th grade) as the oldest. As they stand now, Maggie is in the eighth grade, and Jack is in second grade. 

Jaison spent a weekend with the family just to see how everything would work out. Heck, he already had the Williams last name.

“It’s crazy,” he said. “As soon as I got there, I fit in right away. I was a little worried about it when I first got there, but once I walked in the door…”

Perfect match. He never left.

Jaison had never played organized sports when he moved into the home five years ago as an eighth-grader. But he’s since flourished on the football and track and field teams, winning a state championship throwing the discus and leading the Hewitt-Trussville football program to the playoffs in his final two seasons. 

He has earned a scholarship to Austin Peay State University to play football. The school held a signing ceremony that February afternoon, but Ashley had already emptied her tear ducts by then.

“When he faxed in commitment letter in that morning, I was emotional,” she said. “It hit me like a ton of bricks.”

The character he developed in the early stages of his life helped him on the field. Throughout his athletic pursuits, he has heavily relied on a handful of quotes from some of the all-time great sports figures like Vince Lombardi and Muhammad Ali. He also repeatedly credits his faith in his story.

“I came from basically nothing and built myself up with God to get where I am today,” Jaison said.

While his athletic accomplishments are a great story all on their own merit, people don’t want to talk about that when Jaison’s name is brought up.

When asked to tell a story that perfectly encapsulated who Jaison is, track and field coach David Dobbs did not hesitate for a second.

“There was a guy from Huntsville High School that was a better thrower than him,” Dobbs began. 

That guy had a clear uniform violation, with printed words on his shorts that were not of his high school. Jaison had the option to say nothing, and let the referees disqualify him. Jaison would have likely won the event had that happened.

“Instead of coming to us and saying, ‘Hey, that kid’s got the wrong shorts on. We can get him DQ’ed,’ he went and told him,” Dobbs said.

Williams approached the kid and alerted him of the violation, giving him time to correct his wardrobe.

Ashley Williams looks back on many moments and says God was preparing her heart for what was to come with Jaison. Whether it was adopting a teenager, or seeing Jaison give his life to Christ and never look back, or watching him sign to play college football, she can only recall those times in amazement.

“Jaison has taught our family more than we’ve taught him,” she said.

Dobbs calls it patience. Jaison calls it a drive to get better. Ashley calls it faith.

Whatever, ‘it’ is, Jaison Williams possesses it.

Has the journey been worth it for him?

“Most definitely.”