Heartbreaking tribute to kids’ football coach, 26, who died ‘after being attacked on night out’

Ezekiel Williams, 26, has been remembered as a ‘genuine, kind-hearted’ person who empowered children with motivational football lessons

A ‘selfless’ West London man who died after allegedly being assaulted on a night out in Milton Keynes had dedicated his life to empowering children through football coaching. Ezekiel Williams, 26, was the head of youth development at grassroots company Journey Of A Pro (JOAP), which runs training sessions in and around Hillingdon.

CEO Tyrique Clarke, a midfielder at Worthing F.C., said his childhood friend’s guidance has had a profound impact on the borough’s young people, many of whom are now ‘distraught’. He told MyLondon: “Ezekiel was all about helping kids become the best version of themselves.

“We teach them to understand that through God, you can show love, confidence and have a sound mind when you’re playing football. Zekes would always give them a little Bible quote or motivational speech in team talks before games. He was just a genuine, kind-hearted person.”

The 25-year-old added: “We think of a lot of the kids as our little brothers and sisters and Ezekiel knew everyone by name. A lot of them are really, really upset by the news. I’ve had all sorts of messages from parents saying their children have been in tears and have had to miss school.”

Tyrique first met Ezekiel in Year 7 and the pair grew close after bonding over their love of football and shared dreams of going professional. The pair shared ‘countless’ memories together, including team dinners and late-night conversations.

“He was a real source of comfort for me,” Tyrique explained, “Someone I would speak to about every decision.”

“Who do I ask now? I’m just trying to think about what Zekes would say if was here which I think would be ‘rely on God to make the next step’. He was just the most selfless, loving person and always a bright spark of energy. You couldn’t be down around him.”

Ezekiel, who was from Ruislip, frequently attended church and would send his group of friends a meaningful Bible verse every day. He was also very family-orientated, often taking his siblings out for dinner or bowling or getting his loved ones presents.

Tyrique said his friend did not go on nights out very often and his weekend trip to Milton Keynes with his girlfriend would have been his ‘third time’ in a club this year. The couple had been in Slug & Lettuce in The Hub, a nightlife area in the city centre, before becoming separated.

Thames Valley Police said Ezekiel was seriously assaulted on Midsummer Boulevard at around 1.50am on Sunday (November 1) and taken to hospital. He died on Monday afternoon.

Ezekiel was a midfielder for non-league football club Hendon at the time of his death. Paying tribute on Tuesday evening, the club said: “A humble, unassuming and generous individual with a razor-sharp wit, Eze joined the club in September and quickly established himself as a highly popular member of the dressing room and was beginning to carve a place for himself in midfield with a series of hard-working and selfless displays that summed him up as a person.

“Only 10 days ago, he scored his first goal for the club against Jersey Bulls. As a sign of respect, and to allow the players and management time to process this profoundly shocking news, tomorrow’s [Wednesday] London Senior Cup tie with Woodford Town has been postponed.”

The club also encouraged people to donate to a GoFundMe page set up by Tyrique to give Ezekiel the funeral and send-off he deserves. More than £16,000 has been donated in two days.

Tyrique said: “We want to have something nice so his mum can see how much Ezekiel truly meant to his family and friends. But, we also want to try and create a memorial where the parents and children he coached can all come together and celebrate the impact he had at JOAP.

“When I speak to his mum, she understands that he loved the job and that he put all of his passion and energy into it. But I don’t think she realised until looking at the comments exactly how many lives he touched. I’d love to do a massive tournament so that his family can meet the kids he coached.

“Seeing the reaction to the fundraiser has been incredible, we initially thought we’d raise about £5,000. Ezekiel’s brother and I have been keeping our minds busy by looking at the donations, the comments, and just thinking ‘wow, he really was loved’.

Three men arrested in connection

Detectives at Thames Valley Police have arrested three men from Luton as part of their investigation into Ezekiel’s death.

On Wednesday, the force said two of the men, who are aged 21 and 28, remained in custody on suspicion of murder, while the third, a 30-year-old, had been detained on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Investigators are now asking witnesses to Sunday’s assault to come forward to help further establish what happened.

Detective Inspector Rob Underhill said: “Our thoughts are first and foremost with the Ezekiel’s family and loved ones at this devastating time. Specially trained family liaison officers are supporting them as they come to terms with their devastating loss.

“We have made three arrests in connection with this investigation and do not believe that there is any wider risk to the local community. We are carrying out a thorough and extensive investigation to establish exactly what happened.

“We recognise this incident will cause concern within the local community. There will continue to be an increased police presence in and around The Hub and Milton Keynes city centre over the coming days, and I would encourage anybody with concerns to speak with our officers.”

Detectives need to speak to anyone who was in the area of Midsummer Boulevard and The Hub between 1am and 2am on Sunday morning. Anyone with mobile phone, dash cam, or CCTV footage should also contact police.

DI Underhill added: “Even the smallest piece of information could prove vital in helping us piece together the circumstances of this incident.”

Anybody with relevant information should call 101 or make a report online, quoting reference 43260570882. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111.

You can donate to Ezekiel’s funeral fundraiser on GoFundMe

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