Williams cried after the game when referring to the sky in honor of his grandfather, who was proud of his 1-1 draw against the United States.
To honor that moment, Fulbak added the date of the game, which had a tattoo on his hand that says ‘happiness’, and since then it has added another respect.
“I had a ring on which his name was made,” Williams explains. “It was sitting next to my medals that had taken me back to my sporting life. It’s always a little reminder for myself when I go home to see the achievements I have done with medals and cups in my sporting life.
“He wasn’t just my grandfather, he had a large part. He took turns to my parents to take me to training four times a week. It wasn’t just at the bottom of the road.
“They have all sacrificed and I was sitting here without them.
Time is to reduce sorrow, but it can cause a different type of pain. The more you are without someone you love, the bigger part of your life is what you have spent without them.
As your life survives, their presence will be farther away.
Williams wishes his grandfather with him when Wales will launch the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at home to Kazakhstan on Saturday.
Nothing is the same when that person is gone, but as Williams has shown, you can store some of them with you – and remember.
“I’m not only playing for my grandfather but also for my family,” Williams said. “They have made so many sacrifices to achieve my dream. Basically, everything I do for them.
“It wasn’t just me who had to sacrifice. I went away like a young boy, I went into the excavation and had limited time to see my friends at home.
“They are playing big parts in the lives of the players because I can guarantee that most of our squad is sitting in the place where they are now living or playing for clubs that exist now without their families helping them,” he said.
“I’m really grateful for what they have all done for me.