‘We Take Life for Granted’- Venus Williams’ Fatal Autoimmune Disease Forced ‘King’ Richard to Come to Terms With Life’s Absurdity as He Shared Note of Gratitude in 2012

Venus Williams, in her prime, was one of the most feared players on tour. However, Williams struggled to perform as she advanced on the senior circuit. In 2004, She noticed that she would be exhausted no matter the energy output. Seven years would pass before Williams received a diagnosis. In 2011, she found out that she was suffering from Sjogren’s syndrome. While a worrying condition, Richard Williams found a positive spin on it.

As she continued to struggle with the condition, Richard realized that several suffer from conditions much worse, which gave him hope for the seven-time grand slam champion.

Richard Williams comes to terms with Venus Williams’ autoimmune disease

While Venus’ own diagnosis is something many people fear, many find themselves suffering from worse diseases. Although that is no reason to downplay one’s own problems, one can feel a little bit of gratitude for having to deal with a lesser issue. This was the mindset of Richard Williams leading up to the 2012 Wimbledon.

‘King’ Richard said that someone came up to him to express their sympathy for Venus Williams. But the Louisiana native brushed off their worries as he knew of the fighting spirit of his daughter. Along with complete faith, he also found another way to deal with a situation.

Richard said, “I think Venus is doing very, very well. Someone walked up to me uh yesterday and said, “I’m so sorry about your daughter”, and “I said whoa, it’s Venus” I said, “What about it?” and I had visited the hospital with patients not with the same problem that Venus has. But unbelievable problems that hindered them for the rest of their life and I thought boy we take life for granted Venus is okay.”

His faith paid off as Venus would go on to win the 2012 Wimbledon women’s doubles with her sister Serena Williams. ‘King’ Richard had complete faith in Venus Williams. Along with him, the ‘Queen of the Court’ was also supporting her sister to a great extent.

When Serena Williams supported her sister

When Venus’ diagnosis was revealed, Serena pushed her to continue playing and called her sister a fighter. Along with the motivation, she also made great changes to her diet. Since Venus was avoiding dairy, meat, and seafood, the 23-time grand slam champion also opted out of such foods. In solidarity with her sister, she aimed to support her for as long as possible.

Read More: 12 Years Into Fighting Severe Autoimmune Condition, 42-Year-Old Venus Williams Gives Ray of Hope to Fellow Fighters With a Stirring Message

While it was a significant issue for Venus, Serena was able to adapt faster than her sister. What are your thoughts on Richard’s comments? In addition, what do you make of the Williams sisters duo? Tell us in the comments below.

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