Ted Williams’ Golden Voice – From Homeless to Hope for the Hopeless!
There is no greater tale of the human spirit, than that of redemption….
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. —Ephesians 1:7
Homeless for 17 years, standing at an intersection, holding a cardboard sign. That was Ted Williams just a few years ago. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Army veteran Ted Williams has struggled more than most. He has fallen from the top of his respected game to the proverbial rock bottom.
On January 3, 2011, Ted Williams was homeless, holding a sign beside a busy intersection in Columbus, Ohio. The sign began, “I Have a God Given Gift of Voice…” God was always present in Ted’s life; however, on this day, He made His presence known.
In 1986 Ted’s life and career began to crumble beneath him due to heavy drug and alcohol abuse. Once the abuse had taken its toll, he was without a home, job or future. But on that faithful day in January at an intersection in Ohio, Ted believes without a doubt, God intervened.
God sent His messenger, Doral Chenoweth, a videographer for the Columbus Dispatch in Columbus, Ohio. Doral recorded Ted that day and posted it on YouTube. The three separate edits of that day has accumulated over 31 million YouTube views.
They reflected a man down on his luck, homeless, looking for donations in exchange for an opportunity to share his Golden Voice with whomever would listen. They spoke of Ted’s career, his past and present situation. The videos went viral! Mr. Ted Williams immediately captured mass media attention. He was invited to be a guest on a variety of television outlets including CBS’s The Today Show. Ted became inundated with job offers.
Today, Ted Williams’ voice can be heard representing Kraft Foods, The Cleveland Cavaliers, MSNBC, ESPN, and the list continues to grow!
He has co-written a book with Bret Witter titled A Golden Voice: How Faith, Hard Work, and Humility Brought Me from the Streets to Salvation, and he owns a website called Ted The Golden Voice, which advocates hope for the homeless. Ted Williams is a good man who has overcome the odds. Through poverty and despair, Ted has learned to stay close to God and His word.
Within the man renowned for his “Golden Voice,” resides a grateful heart. Ted Williams’ heart is filled with deep love and compassion for his fellow man and for the Lord Jesus Christ. “I love any opportunity I can get to tell people about the Lord,” Ted stated more than once during throughout our interview. I can vouch that the voice of Ted Williams remains as smooth as butter melting into freshly toasted bread.
This was an inspiring interview for me. I am blessed for the opportunity and experience.
Ted, are you still with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese?
Yes! They have truly been a blessing to me! They are wonderful to work for and are very supportive of me and my charities!
Would you be willing to do a cartoon voice?
Why yes. I have always wanted to do that (replying with a very funny impersonation of a really old man). I would love to do a character voice if the opportunity came about.
Tell us about your book.
It is a complete and honest true story. Things I faced in childhood and adulthood. I never judged, but I grew up with certain trials and certain prejudices, and God freed me of all of that. I discovered I was adopted and through everything God was with me and had his hands on me at all times.
Tell us about the Ted Williams Project.
It’s my foundation; we take donations of any kind. We help the homeless community as well as those struggling with addiction and mental health issues.
Ted, are you still sober?
Yes! One day at a time, sometimes one minute or even one second at a time. I’ve been sober for over a year and three months. I live in Dublin, Ohio, which isn’t very far from Columbus. That’s where a lot of this started. I have to choose to stay away from certain people in order to keep focused.
How has faith played a role in your life and career?
God has always been a part of my life. No matter what happened in my life, I’ve never stopped praying and believing. I have a faith built upon a mustard seed, and I have been reunited with my family. I am so very grateful for this opportunity, and I hope my story will inspire the world!
