Friends Run Wasatch Back In Memory of Family Killed By Drunk Driver

SALT LAKE CITY, UT | June 6, 2007 - On February 17, 2007 family member and friends gathered with Chris Williams and his two sons to mourn the loss of their wife and mother, 41-year-old Michele Williams, who was six-months pregnant; her 11-year-old son Ben; and 9 year-old daughter Anna. They died as a result of a two-car collision with a 17-year-old Skyline High School senior who had a blood-alcohol level of .15, nearly twice the legal limit for an adult.

Tony Christensen and Mark Quinn were among those friends who attended the Williams’ funeral to support Chris and pay their respect to the four Williamses who had passed on. Christensen, Quinn, and Williams joined the Sigma Chi fraternity at the University of Utah in the mid-80’s and have kept in contact ever since.

While at the funeral Tony mentioned to Mark, and several other fraternity brothers, that it would be fun for them to participate in the Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back presented by NordicTrack, a 178-mile, 12-teammate, overnight relay race from Logan to Park City, UT. Quinn thought it was a great idea and suggested that they dedicate their run to the Williams family.

“I thought it would be fun to do the Wasatch Back with my fraternity brothers,” Christensen said, “but the real purpose of this team is to rally around Chris and let him know we love and support him.”

They approached Williams with the idea and asked him to join their team. “He thought it was a great idea and started training right away,” Quinn said.

The all-male team, appropriately named Team Williams, is made up mostly of fraternity brothers and is diverse in both skill-level and profession. One member is an accomplished triathlete, another is a skilled marathon runner, and a few are avid runners. As for the rest “they had never run more than a mile or two before this,” says Christensen, “but Chris’ cause has inspired all of us. We are all pushing ourselves harder than we would have otherwise. In fact, most of our beginning runners are now regular runners” says Christensen.

To honor the Williams memory, Team Williams is raising money for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. “We hope to inspire others to remember the Williamses and to donate to MADD in their memory,” says Christensen. Those interested in supporting Team Williams can visit www.madd.org and make a donation in the name of the Williams Family.

When asked how their experience will differ from those of other participants Quinn said, “For us it is all about spending time with Chris and honoring the members of his family who passed away.”

Tanner Bell, Director of Race Development for the Wasatch Back, says Team Williams exemplifies what the Wasatch Back is all about. “For many teams it is not about the competition, it’s about the camaraderie, it’s about building friendships with teammates and competitors. I suspect that for Team Williams this will serve as a healing experience and will strength the friendships these guys made way back in college.

The Wasatch Back is one of the fastest growing overnight relay races in the nation. It stretches 178-miles from Logan to Park City. The course passes seven lakes, traverse 2 mountain passes, and runs through some of the most breathtaking scenery in Utah. During the relay, each team member runs three legs ranging between 3-8 miles and varying in difficulty. For more information about the Wasatch Back visit www.ragnarrelay.com.