Despite being bed bound for over a year, rugby legend Gareth Williams still wakes with a smile on his face, because that’s the kind of positive role model that he is.
The former Wales and British Lions forward is fighting a rare nervous system disorder for which there is no cure.
Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) causes nerve cells in the brain to deteriorate over time, triggering problems with balance, movement and the autonomic nervous system.
But it has picked on a tough customer in Williams, a battler who is driven by positivity. His system may be under attack but he refuses to let MSA break his spirit.
“He’s the strongest person there is,” says daughter Nia, who has immersed herself in a fund-raising and awareness-raising effort for the MSA Trust, running marathons.
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“The diagnosis came in November 2012 after many years with various symptoms.
“He’s been bed-bound since January 2017 but he’s fighting because that’s the type of person he is — a fighter. Every day he wakes with a smile and he is never anything but good-natured.
“He is an inspiration and I am proud to have him as a dad.”