The Man with the Golden Voice - Ted Williams

After watching the video on Ted Williams emotional reunion with his mother, I thought a lot about the different aspects going on here. One, I kind of felt a personal feeling as I have dealt with these issues in my family life more times that I wish to admit. With dealing with substance abuse nothing is more important, next to courage and strength, then to have a strong family or support structure. I feel that Mr. Williams felt this and wanted to get better and that seeing his mother again was a good first step in that process. In the world we live in now, it's very good that the internet and media are able to help someone in such a fast paced medium. However in this case, it also has had a very negative effect as well.

The other thought that had struck me was as the media is willing to help and be a positive force in peopled lives, they also show their colors with their own self interests. In this case two media outlets were fighting over who would get to have this reunion that was supposed to be a happy time that tuned into a game for the networks. From an article I found, Ted Williams: Media Tears Him Apart, Colleagues Try to Put Him Back Together, it appears that the media were making him and his mother jump through hoops and play their game when all they wanted was to see each other. I feel that if you really are trying to help someone you should not be trying to make a quick buck on someones life. This was more than likely the contributing factor in his relapse that caused him to continue drinking.

Fame can be an ugly thing if you are not prepared to handle it. Mr. Williams I think was in such an emotional state to not only do right by his family, but to see them again that he would do anything. And unfortunately this was to much to handle. The article also goes on to say that his friends and voice over colleagues have helped him with rehab and to get his life back together. I think he is an amazing man with an amazing gift. I hope upon hope that he is able to repair his life and get back to being the man that he, and the world, knows he can be.