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Who is Gerald Williams' wife? Former Yankees star dies at 55, mourned as 'best friend'

Outfielder, who spent 14 years in the big leagues with several teams, succumbed to cancer, reveals former teammate Derek Jeter

The New York Yankees family is in mourning on February 8, 2022, after it was confirmed former outfielder Gerald Williams passed away. The 55-year-old reportedly succumbed to cancer and is now being widely mourned online. Nicknamed 'Ice', Williams spent 14 years in the big leagues with several teams including the Brewers, Braves, and Mets. 

The death of Williams comes just days after the passing of Pedro Gomez, the ESPN commentator known for his baseball commentary. In 2021, baseball fans also mourned the loss of Don Sutton, the LA Dodgers' famous pitcher who also succumbed to cancer. In August, cancer also forced Oakland Athletics' broadcaster, Ray Fosse, to call time on his career after he revealed a 16-year battle with the deadly disease.

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It's unclear what kind of cancer Williams was suffering from, or how long he was battling the disease. The New Orleans native has been living a pretty low-key life since his retirement in 2005. He was last reported to be residing in Tampa, Florida, where he served as general manager of the Tampa Bay Titans. 

Who is Gerald Williams' wife?

The 55-year-old is survived by his wife Liliana Williams. Despite being a prominent player back in the day, Williams' personal life never really made the headlines, so there's little we know about him or Liliana. It's unclear when the two got hitched, or how many children they have. In fact, the only way we know Williams was married was from former teammate Derek Jeter, who named Liliana in his statement mourning Williams.

"Gerald Williams passed away this morning after a battle with cancer. To my teammate and one of my best friends in the world, rest in peace, my brother. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Liliana, and their whole family," Jeter said via The Players' Tribune on Twitter, confirming Williams' death.

According to reports, Jeter and Williams became close friends in the minor leagues, after Williams stood up for Jeter when he was bullied by other players. Williams also earned widespread public support for saving a no-hitter from Dwight Gooden in 1996. That same season, he set a team record for the Mets with six hits in a game, in their dramatic 11-6 win over the Orioles.

In the 1987 MLB draft, Williams was drafted by the Yankees out of Grambling State. After several years, he made his MLB debut in 1992 for the Yankees and spent four years with the team before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. From there, Williams moved to the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Devil Rays before a brief return to the Yankees in 2001. In 2003, he played for the Florida Marlins and then spent the next two years at the New York Mets before calling time on his career. 

'Sad day for the world and baseball'

Jeter wasn't the only one to mourn Williams' passing. Another former Yankees player, Bernie Williams said, "I am deeply saddened about the passing of my good friend Gerald Williams. I remember our time in the minors when we were roommates…through thick and thin, we had each other’s backs." Bernie added, "He was a stand-up individual with great character and integrity throughout his whole life."

"Rest in Paradise, Gerald Williams," tweeted baseball podcaster CC Sabathia. Former Yankees reliever Jeff Nelson said, "So sad to hear the news of long-time friend an ex-teammate Gerald Williams passing. What a great person and at 55, words can’t describe how shocked I am. RIP my friend." Another person tweeted, "I was just told the horrible news of one of my favorite guys I met in baseball and life, Gerald Williams RIP. “Double,” he kept in real always. I learned a lot from Gerald how to do it right. How to be low-key and still have an impact. Sad day for the world and baseball."

Williams' former teams, including the Brewers and Rays, also mourned the loss of the star in tweets.