Remember the “golden voice” Ted Williams? It’s been exactly five years since Ted, the guy who went from homeless to an internet sensation after a video of him showcasing a perfect radio voice while panhandling on the side of the road in Ohio, went viral. Well, Ted went back to work this week at the very same gospel radio station where he began his radio career in the ‘80’s.
Williams, now 58, spent the last 25+ years battling with drug and alcohol abuse. But he’s back and he says he owes it all to God.
Williams first developed his pitch-perfect voice typical of commercial disc jockeys through a career working in radio — a career interrupted when drug and alcohol addiction sent him from the studio to the streets.
And while on the side of the road, someone shared a video of Williams doing what he does best, speaking with his golden voice. The video quickly went viral and Ted started getting offers from everywhere. Even appearances on Dr. Phil and The Today Show. The video as well landed him a $395,000 book deal for a book entitled “A Golden Voice: How Faith, Hard Work and Humility Brought Me from the Streets to Salvation.”
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But maybe it all came too soon. Ted wasn’t ready for the fame and quickly rumors started surfacing that he was back on drugs after being clean for over 2 years. And shortly after that, Ted was back living on the same streets he tried so hard to get away from.
As many former drug addicts report the importance of having a strong support system to assist in not falling back into previous destructive behavior. Any sign of difficulty, stress or major life changes can cause an clean former addict to revert back.
The Columbus Dispatch reports:
In October 2014, the last time Williams spoke with The Dispatch, he said he was living in a Near East Side apartment with no furniture. Williams said he lost out on millions because of inexperience and dishonest managers who didn’t have his best interests at heart as opportunities to use his honeyed baritone arose. He declined to elaborate.
But Ted has made moves to finally put his past behind him and in 2016 he actually landed back at the same radio job he had before the drugs and alcohol. And now, he’s streaming live for…
…all those fans he reached all over the world.
“See how God works?” a sober Williams said on Thursday morning, speaking into a microphone as calls and messages come in from people all over the globe as far as Germany and Africa. “It’s come full-circle. Thank you, Jesus.”
He’s now living on the West Side with his daughter, Tangela Pullien, and his longtime girlfriend, Kathleen Chambers — who, like Williams, has battled drug addiction and also attended a rehab program paid for by Dr. Phil.
“I want them to know that I’ve been through struggles — and they have, too,” he said. “I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. That ‘one day at a time’ really means one second at a time.”
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