Remembering Morrow Willis

Over the past two years, Unificationists across the nation came to know of Morrow Willis and his battle with cancer. During this time, stories emerged of this young man’s deep, selfless heart, and our entire national community rallied behind him, sending out constant prayers for his recovery. Morrow showed unmatched strength and courage as he fought his illness for many months, until he ascended to the spirit world on February 22, 2015. In his home state of Texas, family and friends recently celebrated his life on the occasion of the one-year anniversary of his passing. The following story about this event was provided by Ken Morgan from Austin, TX.

On Sunday afternoon, February 21, what had begun as a small, unpublicized first year memorial service for Morrow Willis became a larger event with approximately 100 friends and well-wishers. A number of those present had lovingly supported Morrow and his parents during his 14-month battle with leukemia.

Though it was a solemn occasion, the atmosphere was very upbeat and full of life. The program began with an opening prayer followed by a several songs performed by the Dallas Family Church band, including a solo by Tiffany Andrus of the song, “See You Again”. There were a number of testimonies, including ones from Morrow’s parents and several close friends. Stories from their lives alongside Morrow were shared, including epic moments of joy, adventure, hilarity, and courage. There was one theme that ran through all the stories: Morrow’s deep concern for each and every person that he met along his path of life. No one was ignored or overlooked; he gave everything to them all.

After the memorial service, there was an extended gathering at Dallas Family Church Pastor Rev. John Jackson’s home, making it a long and fulfilling day. Almost immediately following this, Morrow’s parents flew to Washington, D.C. to be honored at an event marking Ted Koppel’s new book, “Lights Out”. This event was sponsored by George Washington University, where Morrow was enrolled in a master’s program and had become a contributor to the book. Both Mr. Koppel and the University president made special note of Morrow’s meaningful impact on their lives, and their deep appreciation for Morrow.

God bless Morrow, and may God bless everyone!