A new video from Mormon Messages tells the story of Chris Williams, whose wife and two children were killed by a teenage drunk driver in 2007 following a family dinner with friends. The video depicts a story of grieving over the unexpected loss of loved ones but forgiving those at fault.
Chris’s friend and church leader, James Wood, visited with Chris at the hospital shortly after the accident. “Even at that moment, we’re all blubbering, crying, and Chris is lying on the gurney, in a neck brace, and one of the first things he asks is ‘How is the young man that was driving the car?’”
Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light contains a powerful message of looking to Jesus Christ as an example to forgive others.
“I’m grateful that God allows tragedy and trials to occur in our lives,” Chris says in the video, seated around a kitchen table with his two surviving sons. “Not because they are easy or because they are desired, but because they help us love.”
Cameron White, the driver of the car who crashed into the Williams’ vehicle, says of meeting Chris, “It’s an overwhelming feeling of thankfulness, of gratefulness and strength, to see him and see how he has acted in this situation.”
Mormon Messages is one of the official YouTube channels of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The message above is another video vignette that shares a compelling message through available technology. Newsroom has highlighted others, including the blessings of modern-day motherhood and the universal message of Easter.