A nephew of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams passed away from suicide at the young age of 21, according to reports.
Alphonse Williams reportedly took his own life on February 3 after falling into a depressed state following his recent diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease, The Sun reports. The disease, which causes the curvature of the penis, can also cause serious depression in a third of sufferers.
Alphonse’s mother, Sabrina Williams, is heartbroken over the loss of her youngest of two sons but appreciative of the time she was able to spend with Alphonse.
“When my son attempted [to end] his life two and a half years ago, I asked God, save his life and give me a little bit more time, please,” Sabrina said. “And God answered my prayers. He did. He gave me two and a half years more than I expected.”
Sabrina is the half-sister of Venus and Serena from father Richard Williams’ first marriage to Betty Johnson. She has been estranged from her father and his two athletic proteges since he left his first wife to pursue his dream of creating future tennis champions, Radar Online reports.
His journey to turn Venus and Serena into tennis champi