Warren's Journey: Bridge to Hope

My name is Stephanie and I am the Coordinator for a Nonprofit in Johnson City, TN, who works with the unhoused, youth, seniors, and poverty-stricken individuals in our area. On July 30, 2025, one of our unhoused friends, Warren Williams, was taken to the ER. He woke up with a huge mass on the right side of his neck, behind his ear. This mass appeared overnight. He hadn’t been sick and had no indication that anything was going on. Upon removal and testing, it was revealed that Warren has stage IV, Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare and aggressive form of thyroid cancer that grows and spreads rapidly, often within weeks. It's characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in the thyroid gland and is resistant to cancer treatments, resulting in a poor prognosis. ATC is diagnosed as stage IV due to its aggressive nature. It usually affects people over 60. Warren's “PeePaw” passed from ATC at 68, his father passed from ATC at 64, and Warren is currently 62. Warren's mother and brother have also passed, leaving him with no family.

Warren, also known to us as “Weezy,” is a native of Asheville, NC, but has been in Johnson City for decades. He was a dish guy for Picadeli for many years. He then helped open over 168 stores. After his career with them, he was the cook at Peerless Restaurant for 27 years. When Peerless shut down, life took a turn and “Weezy” has been unhoused for many years. He has no family outside of us.

Due to his new life-altering circumstances, we are asking for help. Warren has no income, no home, no family, no transportation. He didn’t want to be a “burden” on anyone, so he rode his bicycle to and from chemo without us knowing. Round trip, that is 9 miles. He would then go sleep under a bridge to recuperate. He has lost a significant amount of weight and he’s quite literally fighting for his life in every aspect. We have stepped up to help bridge the gaps as much as we can, but it takes a village. We took him to his camp to get his belongings yesterday and after he didn’t return, we found him toppled over, stuck against a tree. This just isn’t acceptable. We are hoping to help get him emergency housing, a proper place to stay clean and get some rest after chemo, and in between doctor's appointments. He has little to no clothing and no means to get the proper nutrients he needs to assist with healing outside of a daily lunch provided downtown and the dinner that we provide every night. We have met with a program navigator from our local hospital, who is going to try to get him some insurance and help with covering the cost of medications.

We’re asking that if you feel led to help “Weezy” get through these next few months, maybe even years... we don’t make that decision... that you would make a donation. Every penny will go into his bank account and he will have someone help distribute those funds properly. Our hopes are to get him into a hotel for a week at a time, until

something more permanent is available. Thank you in advance for your kindness and consideration.