His Heroism Was Not Rash

In fact, even during his funeral, the minster who had presided over the ceremony had shared, “His heroism was not rash. Aware that his own strength was fading, he deliberately handed hope to someone else, and he did so repeatedly. On that cold and tragic day, Arland D. Williams Jr. exemplified one of the highest attributes of human nature, specifically that some people are capable of doing anything for total strangers.”

He Was Awarded Posthumously

On June 6, 1983, over a year after the crash, due to his bravery in sacrificing his life to help others, Williams would be awarded with the United States Coast Guard’s Gold Lifesaving Medal at the White House. Ronald Reagan had been the president at the time and his medal was presented to Williams’ mom, Virginia Williams.