Hello, My Name is
Joe Lewis Williams III.
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Joey’s Story

The excitement of our prenatal gender reveal appointment turned into extreme worry and concern when we learned our baby boy would be born with a rare heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Simply put, he is miraculously living with only half of his heart. From three days old until about 4.5 years old, Joey had multiple heart surgeries and spent years in and out of the hospital for long-term extended stays. To say we’ve been through a great deal is an understatement.

Our encounters with other families made us realize how significant the emotional and financial burden was to our family and those other families. So, we were inspired to start the Joe Lewis Williams III Brave of Heart Foundation in honor of our son, who has been brave while fighting his own battles. Joey’s doctors informed us when he was five years old that he would need a heart transplant, and Joey was placed on the heart transplant list. Despite his heart condition, Joey was happy, loving, and energetic during those first five years.

Following a 5-year waiting period, in December of 2023, Joey received his new heart, given the advanced technology and medical research. Joey is now able to live a more promising life.

The Joe Lewis Williams III Brave of Heart Foundation remains dedicated and committed to providing resources and a support system for families with children like Joey needing long-term hospital care.  

~ Joe and Lakesha Williams Founders.