Her Biggest Cheerleader: How Ally Williams’ Brother Brandon Inspires a Life of Purpose On and Off the Court

Ally Williams is never alone on the floor. 

Pinned to her ear is a simple charm — the letter B — but it serves as a consistent reminder of her biggest supporter and her motivation for everything she does.

It’s a “B” for her younger brother, Brandon, who lives with chromosomal deletion and is missing chromosome 4Q21. 

“I wear this little “B” on my ear because I don't want to get a tattoo, but I want to show him in some way,” Williams said. “Whenever I get a little anxious or I'll just touch it and it’s like I’m touching him. Like, I know he's here. He's here. He's watching. I can't see him in the stands right now, but I know he's watching.”

Brandon is nonverbal, but Williams feels his support louder than anyone’s and it pushes her to be the best she can be and never take a second for granted. 

“He's my biggest cheerleader,” Williams said. “He gets so excited. Even though it may not seem like he understands, he understands so much more than people realize. I know he understands volleyball, even if he can’t tell us.”

Brandon is two years younger than Williams, and she said she instantly became a “second mother” to him, dressing him up, changing diapers and feeding him. 

“He's my best friend,” Williams said. “He can't talk, but I don't even notice that, because he communicates with me through his eyes. I know all of his little cues that he has, so it's like I'm just hanging out with my best friend.”

Brandon’s condition, partnered with his profound ability to find abundant joy every day, is an inspiration to Williams and a reason to push harder and understand the privilege she has to be able to play the sport she loves.

“The way to describe Brandon, there's so many ways and so many words that you can use, but the biggest one, I believe, is remarkable,” Williams said. “He has been through so much. He can't walk, he can't talk, he can't play sports, he can't do pretty much a lot of things that normal people can do, yet he has overcome every single obstacle that has been thrown at him.”

“He takes it with a smile on his face,” Williams said. “That's the biggest thing. Through everything that’s happened to him, he’s still smiling. If you ever look at him, he's smiling. He has never had a bad day, ever. And it's like, how do you wake up when you know you don't have all the resources? You don't have the ability to go drive anywhere, go take a walk, go take a run, grab a baseball and throw it around. You don't have the capabilities to do any of that, yet you’re still smiling 24/7.”

It took a lot to pull Williams away from Brandon, even for a volleyball career that’s been brilliantly successful in College Park. 

“Moving away in general has been so hard, and I always just pray and hope that he knows that I'm playing volleyball,” Williams said.

During the recruiting process, it was initially important for Williams to stay close to her hometown of Saint Louis, Missouri.

“I can't go any more than four hours away,” she said. “I need to be home for Brandon. I want to be home. There's no way I can go this long without seeing him.”

But after touring Maryland and falling in love with College Park — a 13-hour drive from Saint Louis — she had a decision to make.

“My mom had a talk with me, and said ‘It's only four years of your life, and this is like a once in a lifetime opportunity. He'll always be here and he will be your biggest cheerleader, your biggest fan, and you can see him over breaks. It'll all be okay.’”

She’s following her dream and having an outstanding career as a Terp, but the calls home haven’t faded. 

“There have been times where I'm like, ‘I don't know. I miss him so much. Is this even worth it?’,” she said. “But then I just FaceTime him, and I'll show him the volleyball court and say ‘Okay, Brandon, this is where I'm at. This is what I'm doing. Just remember, I want to be home, I want to see you, but I'm playing volleyball for four years, and then I'll be home.’ He just smiles and nods like he understands.”

Brandon has undergone an abundance of surgeries in his life and has experienced several stints in NICU and ICU facilities. Respiratory issues will arise every few years, sparking frequent trips to the hospital.

“It’s very scary every time that happens, and we take him straight to St. Louis Children's Hospital,” Williams said. “It’s one of the best in the country, if not the best, so I know he's in good hands. Seeing the way they interact with him is so special and amazing. The nurses there are perfect with him. They know exactly what to do, what to say, and the amount of times that they have saved his life is incredible.”

The admiration Williams had for that staff and the numerous hands that have saved Brandon time after time has helped her find her post-college calling. As a family health major at UMD, she’s preparing for a life of helping others, just as St. Louis Children’s Hospital has done for Brandon. 

“I know he feels safe and comfortable, and that's like the biggest thing that I want to give to other people is helping them to feel safe,” Williams said. “I want them to feel seen and heard, even if they’re nonverbal, even if they can’t walk or talk, whether they have a disability or not. Whatever the situation is, I want them to feel seen, heard, comfortable, and I want to save lives just like they do for him.”

She’s also actively learning American Sign Language to add another level of communication to her life. As the Terps’ libero, she’s a leader on the court and often finds herself needing to communicate quickly and without words. She’s able to pick up calls and nonverbal cues on the court to excel her game and help her Terps. 

“He is so grateful for the people around him, for his family members, and he loves our dogs like he just loves his life. He is genuinely the best, the best person to walk or not walk, the best person to be on this planet. I mean, he's just remarkable.”

Brandon will be in attendance for the Terps’ road matches against Northwestern, Indiana, and Purdue. He’ll make the trip to College Park for Maryland’s final matches of the season, and he’ll participate in Williams’ senior celebration when the Terps take on Oregon on Nov. 28.

“He watches every game at home anyway, but being able to look over and see him just melts me because I'm so grateful he’s there,” Williams said. “I know it takes a lot for him to get there and my parents to get him ready and get him seated, but it just immediately brings me relief and happiness because he means so much to me and I know how much he loves volleyball. He could watch volleyball all day and all night.”

He’s started to pick up sport-related skills, to the joy of Williams and her family. When given a basketball, Brandon will spin it on his finger like a Harlem Globetrotter. He’s recently mastered the “bump”, passing a volleyball to himself and keeping it airborne.

“He's just amazing,” Williams said. “There's nothing he could ever do to make anyone turn on him. He is the most popular kid in our town. He's everyone's biggest cheerleader. He's a friend to everyone and he's just really, really happy and grateful for his life.”

So even over 800 miles away, Williams can feel her brother’s positivity. She knows he’s watching at home with a smile on his face and a love for his sister and volleyball in his eyes. The simple “B” charm on her ear serves as a reminder of her support system, why she plays, and the promise she’s made to a future serving others.