By Bob Kalinowski
The Citizens’ Voice
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Fellow union members of slain Correctional Officer Eric Williams honor him with a photo on their website with the big, bold headline “A Hero Remembered Never Dies.”
Loved ones and co-workers of Williams gathered to remember him Wednesday, the second anniversary of his brutal murder while working inside United States Penitentiary at Canaan. His family attended a Mass on Wednesday at his church in Nanticoke, then traveled to the prison in Wayne County for a ceremony with his colleagues.
“It’s a day of sadness. You take it a day at a time to get through it,” Williams’ father Don said. “Ever since it happened, we continued to push for prison safety. It’s been our dedication ever since.”
The Williams family has lobbied legislators and supported requests by his union for more staff and expanded use of pepper spray for protection of correctional officers.
They continue to do good works in his name, donating money from a scholarship fund started in his name.
His family is in the midst of planning its biggest fundraiser yet, the Eric Williams Race for Justice.
Federal prisons around the country will host a four-mile relay race on May 11, the start of National Police Week. Correctional officers and members of law enforcement will be invited to form four-person teams to compete in the race. Teams with the fastest time in each of the six regions of the federal Bureau of Prisons will be awarded $1,000 in scholarship money to be given to a student pursuing a criminal justice degree. A national winner will get $5,000. Civilians are allowed to participate, but can’t win any of the scholarships.
For the race hosted by USP Canaan, organizers are eyeing the running track at Eric Williams’ alma mater, Greater Nanticoke Area High School, and maybe also Western Wayne, a school near the prison.
Don Williams said he’s hoping to get as many of the nation’s 119 federal prisons to participate.
“We’re trying, or at least to get a majority of them,” he said.
Contact information for participating prisons will be posted to the race’s website, ericwilliamsracefo.wix.com/raceforjustice, next week, Don Williams said.
He thinks the event has the makings of a tremendous success.
“It’s a win, win. It gives a voice to correctional officers and other law enforcement,” Williams said. “No matter who runs, the money goes to a scholarship. You lay down $25 (per racer) and it’s going to help some kid. The fact you’re running the race, you’re winning money for somebody. You can’t lose.”
Eric Williams, 34, of Nanticoke was working alone in a unit housing about 130 inmates and was preparing to lock them into their cells for a nightly head-count when he was attacked, beaten and stabbed to death by an inmate on Feb. 25, 2013. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against the suspect.