CHRISTOPHER AND WIDOW KATE TODAY. BILL DAVIS WAS A SHORT BARTENDER WITH A BIG PERSONALITY AND THE TATTOOS AND THE NATIVE NEW YORK SENSE OF HUMOR, AND YOU’RE STARTING TO GET THE PICTURE. BUT AT HOME, BILL WAS SIMPLY CHRISTOPHER’S DAD, THE GENTLE, PATIENT MAN WHO CALMLY, LOVINGLY RAISED A SON WITH AUTISM. IT WASN’T ALWAYS EASY, BUT BILL SHARED THE STRUGGLES WITH NEWS 8. I’LL SHOW YOU WHERE HE BEGAN. AND IN HIS BOOKS, HIS WIFE KATE, WHO SAYS SHE ISN’T EMOTIONALLY READY TO BE ON CAMERA YET, NEVER THOUGHT BILL’S BIGGEST STRUGGLE WOULD BE BRAIN CANCER. DIAGNOSE ED WITH A GLIOBLASTOMA IN SEPTEMBER, BILL DIED WITH KATE AND CHRISTOPHER BY HIS SIDE LAST MONDAY. WHAT DO YOU WANT BILL’S LEGACY TO BE? BIG HEART. HE HAD LOVE. HE FELT SO MUCH FOR PEOPLE AND HE HAD SO MUCH EMPATHY, SO MUCH EMPATHY AND SO MUCH LOVE FOR HIS SON, WHO MADE AMAZING STRIDES THANKS TO BILL’S WORK AND DEDICATION TO CHRISTOPHER OVER THE YEARS. WERE BEST FRIENDS. LIKE, THAT’S TOUGH. I MEAN, HE’S VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DAD. OBVIOUSLY, BUT THAT ALSO MEANS THAT HE’S LOSING MORE THAN MOST. WE TALKED IN THE DAVIS’S FAVORITE PIZZA SHOP SLUGGERS, WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE FAMILY’S APARTMENT. KATE SAYS WITH BILL GONE, IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THE SAME FOR CHRISTOPHER. YEAH. YOU WANT TO SEE THIS NICE PICTURE OF YOU AND DADDY. THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE FOR HIM. EVERYONE LOVES CHRIS AND YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVE BILL AND AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DID LOVE BILL. AND EVEN AFTER HIS PASSING, KATE IS SURE HIS WORK ADVOCATING FOR THOSE WITH AUTISM WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE LIVES IN LANCASTER COUNTY
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Lancaster County father and autism acceptance advocate dies of brain cancer
A Lancaster County father and long-time autism acceptance advocate has died. Bill Davis published books, gave talks and traveled the country talking to families with autistic children. Davis was known as the short bartender with a big personality. Add the tattoos and the native New York sense of humor and you start to get the picture. At home, though, Davis was simply Christopher's dad, the gentle, patient man who calmly, lovingly raised a son with autism. It wasn't always easy, but Davis shared the struggles with News 8, and in his books. His wife Kate said she never thought her husband’s biggest struggle would be brain cancer. Diagnosed with a glioblastoma in September, Davis died with Kate and Christopher by his side on March 25.When asked what she wants her husband’s legacy to be, Kate replied, “The big heart he had, he felt so much for people, he had so much empathy." She says he had so much empathy and so much love for his son, who made amazing strides thanks to Davis’ work and dedication to Christopher over the years."They were best friends. That's tough. He's very lucky to have that kind of relationship with his dad, but that means he's losing more than most," she said.Kate says with Davis gone, it's important to keep as much as possible the same for Christopher."This is a good place to be for him; everyone loves Chris. And I know a lot of people loved Bill,” Kate said. Even after his passing, Kate is sure his work advocating for those with autism will continue to change lives.
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. —
A Lancaster County father and long-time autism acceptance advocate has died. Bill Davis published books, gave talks and traveled the country talking to families with autistic children.
Davis was known as the short bartender with a big personality. Add the tattoos and the native New York sense of humor and you start to get the picture.
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At home, though, Davis was simply Christopher's dad, the gentle, patient man who calmly, lovingly raised a son with autism.
It wasn't always easy, but Davis shared the struggles with News 8, and in his books.
His wife Kate said she never thought her husband’s biggest struggle would be brain cancer.
Diagnosed with a glioblastoma in September, Davis died with Kate and Christopher by his side on March 25.
When asked what she wants her husband’s legacy to be, Kate replied, “The big heart he had, he felt so much for people, he had so much empathy."
She says he had so much empathy and so much love for his son, who made amazing strides thanks to Davis’ work and dedication to Christopher over the years.
"They were best friends. That's tough. He's very lucky to have that kind of relationship with his dad, but that means he's losing more than most," she said.
Kate says with Davis gone, it's important to keep as much as possible the same for Christopher.
"This is a good place to be for him; everyone loves Chris. And I know a lot of people loved Bill,” Kate said.
Even after his passing, Kate is sure his work advocating for those with autism will continue to change lives.
