Gibbons volleyball player 'improving' after wreck

CHARLES TRAINOR JR / MIAMI HERALD STAFF Thomas “Nick” Williams, 16, injured in an accident.

Thomas ''Nick'' Williams, a Cardinal Gibbons High School boys' volleyball player and honor-roll student, was in serious but stable condition in the surgical intensive care unit at North Broward Medical Center on Monday after being severely injured in a car accident Sunday morning.

According to a report from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, the accident occurred when Williams' 1997 Ford Explorer traveled onto the median at about 5:30 a.m. Sunday, striking a street sign and a tree on the 6300 block of North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. He was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, the report said.

Williams' father, Jim, told The Herald by phone Monday that ''hour by hour, [Nick is] improving.'' According to his father, Williams' injuries include a compound fracture in his left elbow, a possible broken rib, two foot fractures and one ankle fracture.

Williams also said his son was in a ''lightened state of consciousness,'' able to open his eyes in three- to five-second intervals. He also was able to use his right hand and was displaying more motor skills than on Sunday.

''The whole thing is encouraging,'' Jim Williams said.

Cardinal Gibbons senior Austin Belt, reached by phone Monday, called Williams his ''best friend'' and ''brother'' and said he spent about 12 hours at the hospital Sunday. Upon arrival, what he saw was jarring.

''I knew it would be bad,'' Belt said, ``but I was definitely not ready for what I saw when I walked in there.''

Belt said Williams was ''covered in blood'' and had ``scratches everywhere.''

According to the police report, there was no indication of drugs or alcohol being involved in the crash. Belt said Williams was supposed to stay at his house that night. Instead, Williams stayed with his father in Pompano Beach, then left early to pick up his uncle, who was flying home to Boston.

''Just completely harmless -- wrong place, wrong time,'' Belt said. ``I don't know how to explain it.''

Said volleyball coach Marcy Meyer: ``He was not doing anything wrong. It wasn't like he was out drinking or anything like that. It was just an accident.''

Jim Williams said about 200 people visited the hospital Sunday, including both the boys' and girls' volleyball teams. A prayer vigil was held that evening, and Belt said he and a few other teammates even went to the tree where Williams crashed and prayed.

The Chiefs (26-1) play host to Archbishop McCarthy at 6 p.m. Tuesday, with the winner reaching Friday's state quarterfinals.

''It's very tough, but the boys are all pulling together,'' Meyer said. ``I'm just trying to regroup and help the boys to regroup.''

Meyer insisted Tuesday's match would go on -- ''because that is certainly what Nick would want them to do,'' she said.

Said Belt: ``It's going to be super-tough, but we're going to play to win, because that's what he would want.''

Williams is expected to pull through, with Meyer saying, ``He's going to be [ticked] because he is not playing, [and] he's going be [ticked] because he thinks he let his teammates down.''

On the volleyball court, Williams has been one of Cardinal Gibbons' top players, an outside hitter with a knack for thunderous kills (he had 30 in the Chiefs' win against St. Thomas Aquinas in last Thursday's District 9 championship game).

Williams also is an accomplished student. The Chiefs' media guide lists him as a three-year honor-roll student with a 4.3 grade-point average, and he also is involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Biomedical Club. He also served as manager to Meyer's girls' volleyball teams the past two seasons.

Last month, Williams said he was sending e-mails to and making highlight tapes for college coaches.

''I do want to play college [volleyball],'' Williams said.