RI Dad Battles COVID As Daughter Gets Into Harvard - He Now Fights to Keep His Businesses Alive

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle

 

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Garry Williams and his daughter Samantha. Photo: Williams

It is the highest of highs and lowest of lows. 

The owner of popular Providence entertainment and nightlife establishments has been battling COVID personally, as well as its impact on his teetering businesses.

At the same time, he learned his daughter was just accepted to Harvard.

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"It's no joke," said Garry Williams of getting COVID, who is a co-owner of Fish Co., The Rosendale, and The Strand -- and has been fighting to keep the businesses alive during the pandemic. 

Williams spoke with GoLocal about the elation of having his daughter -- a soon-to-be North Providence high school graduate -- accepted to the prestigious Ivy League university, to the struggle of ending up in the hospital, fighting to breathe, all in the same week. 

"Don't try and be a hero," Williams said of advice to Rhode Islanders if they get the virus. "If I was younger, I might have tried to tough it out, and not go to the hospital."

"COVID's bigger than you," he added. 

Battling COVID

"My daughter turned 18 on March 29, and we went out to dinner," said Williams. "I started to feel a little shaky that night. The next day I went and took a rapid [COVID] test and I had it. Then my daughter tested positive two days later. That was my birthday present to her, apparently -- giving her COVID."

Williams, who said he has had to be around people during most of the pandemic due to his work, thought he maybe already had COVID early on and didn't know it, but that getting hit with it now was an eye-opener. 

After his diagnosis, Williams said he had typical symptoms of having a fever, "feeling lethargic, sore, a little beat up," but that he woke up the following Saturday "feeling like I'd beat it."

Then, the walls came crashing in on him. 

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Williams and his parter Manfredi Jr. brought back Fish Co. - and are now fighting to keep it alive.

"That Monday, my chest starting tightening. On Tuesday it all felt like it was starting to close in on me— that was the day she got accepted to Harvard," said Williams. "I was trying to be strong for her. But I couldn’t catch my breath."

"Wednesday morning I had another attack. I kept on getting attacks and my oxygen was dropping," said Williams, who said while he has high blood pressure, but doesn't suffer from asthma or lung issues.

"I got rushed to the hospital, and I figured I’d get checked out. I end up being there 3 and a half days," he said. "I begged them to let me leave to get bed rest. You don't know how depressing it is with no visitors [until you're there]."

Williams said he has been home trying to recover  since his hospital stay -- and that his daughter's symptoms were just that of a "bad head cold."

Now, he is facing an ongoing battle on another front -- keeping his businesses afloat. 

Business Pressures

Williams and his business partner Frank Manfredi Jr. fought during the pandemic to keep Fish Co. and The Rosendale alive. The Strand, a larger music venue, has been shuttered due to state restrictions on indoor gathering size.

In 2021, however, it is not state mandates that are hurting Williams and Manfredi the most.

It is the inability to hire. 

"This past Saturday, it was tough not to be there," said Williams, of not being at Fish Co. in the warm weather -- with crowds coming out to sit outside. 

Williams said he was kept abreast of the situation from his employees of patrons who wanted to get drinks but either had to wait, or were turned away due to lack of tables. 

"People were Yelping us and I was trying to get back to them all," said Williams, who said this week was the first time he had to post on social media in an appeal for workers. 

"I don’t want to give anyone slow service. I didn’t get into the business to provide slow service. We had to tell people they needed 45-minute waits," he said. "We were sold out at 3 p.m. on a recent Sunday. Having the outdoor deck is great but if we can’t get staff, it just doesn't work."

Williams said he anticipates having to keep limited seating moving forward for the foreseeable future -- and just wants people to understand the situation he and other restaurant owners are facing. 

"People are going to be pissed because we’re going to need to go small," said Williams of running Fish Co. in the coming weeks with reduced capacity, unless he can find more workers. "So many people are saying it's not worth it for me and my health [to work]; I'll just collect [unemployment]."

Family Pride 

While dealing with his health and his businesses is his biggest struggle, Williams is buoyed by his daughter Samantha's academic success, and wants her to be recognized for her achievements. 

And according to Williams, his daughter's path to Harvard was not a "traditional route."

"She’s been a brilliant child since day one, no doubt," said Williams. "From when she was a little girl, she had the book and street smarts."

Williams' daughter carried a 4.3 GPA for four years and scored 99% in her SATS nationally. 

"I exposed her to everything from an early age," said Williams, who said he sometimes got pushback, but now he says it was all worth it. 

"Having me not shelter her, she’s seen all areas," said Williams. "Growing up, people said things about how I raised her — but there was a reason. She took what she needed from it all. Her goal was always to be the best she could be."

"She’s smart, she’s witty, and everyone around her had a role — my friends, her 'uncles,' her real uncles," said Williams. "The day she got accepted into Harvard, she was back in her room studying that night, and on Sundays she’ll be back hosting at Fish Co."

 

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