'You never forget him' Vigil honors crash victim

COEUR d'ALENE - The Williams family cabin will never have water or electricity.

That's the way Brian wanted it.

"So if you don't want to use the outhouse, don't come," said his mom, Donna.

"Or hold it" added his dad, Gary, a comment that had the 100 or so people gathered at the City Park bandshell laughing and smiling.

That's the way the hourlong vigil to honor Brian Williams went on a cool, cloudy Thursday night.

Friends, family and those who only knew him a little came to share hugs, tears and huddle together. But it wasn't a sad night. It was one marked by the memories of Brian and the joy he brought to life, to those around him.

Williams, 28, of Missoula, died in a plane crash earlier this week in Montana, along with Melissa Weaver and Erika Hoefer, both of Kalispell, and pilot Sonny Kless of Missoula.

Over an hour, as people stood in the dark with candles, Williams, born and raised in Coeur d'Alene, was described as a person who was funny, kind and sweet, with a heart that was always wide open, as someone who loved unconditionally, as someone with whom every moment was memorable.

Stories of hitchhiking, trips to Europe, failing to graduate from high school but then earning a

GED without studying, guitar playing on a skiing trip, a bear hat at parties and a willingness and desire to try anything were repeated over and over, to the delight of his parents, who live in Coeur d'Alene. They talked of an environmentalist, a brilliant student who challenged and defied teachers at times.

"This is what's keeping us going," Donna said.

"All of us have a story about Brian," Gary Williams said. "It's bizarre. A person dies, you don't have anything to say bad about him. That guy, there's nothing you can say bad about him."

John Totten, who met Brian mountain biking about eight years ago, said he was very adventurous and loved the outdoors.

"He was one of those people you met him, you got to know him, you never forgot him," he said.

David Allen, a cousin of Brian's from Sacramento, said he remembered Brian as a little boy who grew tall and fearless.

"He loved life and he lived it to the fullest," he said.

Brian's older brother, Garrett, said Brian taught him many things about life, despite being eight years younger.

"I've never been at a loss for words and had so many things I wanted to say," he said.

Garrett Williams thanked everyone for being there, because they were all part of Brian's life.

"Every day I wake up, I'll be crying a little bit just thinking about him. But I'll certainly never forget him," he said, his voice choking with emotion. "He was a great kid. He was my brother, he was my best friend."

His parents spoke of a son they loved deeply and were very proud of.

"He had this wonderful sense of justice all of his life," Donna said.

His dad, smiling and chuckling, recalled his son's senior report card in high school and his dismay at the grades.

"Holy God, it's almost straight F's," he said, and then went off to ask Brian, "What's with the F's?"

Brian's response was, "I don't do any of the work."

He explained to his dad that if he did well on the test, it proved he knew the material and was learning. So why do the homework, he said.

His dad and mom both laughed as they recalled the conversation. They said Brian was a joy and never caused them anguish.

"We were semi-tolerant, just because he was so cool," his dad said, laughing.

Brian graduated from the University of Montana last May with a degree in environmental studies, and planned to be a lawyer.

His son did everything well, Gary Williams said.

"Whatever he does, he just kicked ass," he said.