ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — A legendary western North Carolina native has partnered with two corporations to help announce that $10 million in consumer debt has been cleared for those impacted by Hurricane Helene in the region he grew up in.
Roy Williams, the Hall of Fame basketball coach who retired from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2021 after leading the Tar Heels to three national championships this century, has teamed up with Verizon and ForgiveCo to erase debts for 6,500 western North Carolinians, according to a press release from Verizon. The company said Williams will be helping call families to give them the good news.
“Hundreds of North Carolina families are currently learning that Verizon has cleared their medical, financial, and other debts of necessity,” Verizon said, adding the debt relief was implemented by ForgiveCo. “As if a phone call learning that your debt has been cleared isn’t exciting enough, Basketball Hall of Fame coach and Asheville native, Roy Williams, has signed on to be the one to share the news with the impacted families.”
Williams was born in Marion, the county seat of McDowell County. When he was still a child, his family moved to Asheville, where he graduated from T.C. Roberson High School before heading to UNC for college.
“Verizon’s random acts of kindness will lift up thousands of North Carolinians that were left vulnerable to Hurricane Helene’s devastation. These are challenging times, but I’ve seen the strength and resilience of this community,” Williams said in the release. “Verizon’s support is a powerful reminder that no one is alone, and together, we’ll rise stronger. It’s a privilege to share this message of hope with the incredible people of North Carolina.”
Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville and other western North Carolina communities in late September. Lawmakers are still figuring out more ways to help ongoing recovery efforts.
Since his retirement, Williams has remained in the public eye, helping solidify his status as a beloved figure in the community. He still regularly attends UNC basketball games, whether in Chapel Hill or all the way out at the Maui Invitational. Williams was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and finished college coaching career with 903 wins.