David Williams had a fuller life because he got to see his daughter sprint to a silver medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece, a trip that was made possible by the generosity of Western Pennsylvanians who helped pay for travel expenses and the medical treatments he needed overseas.

In fact, he brought back a hat and an Olympic pin for Tim Wiebe, the Sewickley Heights businessman who donated $10,000 to the Williams family, roughly half of what they had to pay for flights, lodging and dialysis treatment.

"He just couldn't thank me enough," said Mr. Wiebe, president of National Rehab Equipment Inc. and himself a cancer survivor. "What stood out about him was his love for his little girl. He always told me that she ran faster when he was there in person."

Mr. Williams, 55, died Sunday following a 20-year battle with leukemia and while awaiting a kidney transplant. Among his seven children was Lauryn Williams, the Rochester High School graduate who raced for her country and won a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash in Athens.

A minister at the Apostolic House of Faith Church in Columbiana, Ohio, Mr. Williams was able to take his family overseas with money donated by everyday people touched by his story. His cause drew national attention following Mr. Wiebe's donation.

When the money came through, Mr. Williams struggled to explain how much it meant. "Sometimes, this can be a cruel world. It can keep your expectations low. And then, something like this happens and reminds you of the goodness that is there, thank the Lord," he told the Post-Gazette before the trip.

He missed two of his daughter's preliminary races in Athens partly due to the dialysis treatment he needed in Athens for his ailing kidneys. But on race day, a giant video board at Olympic Stadium showed him and seven family members and friends celebrating Lauryn's accomplishment.

"It was really exciting to have my dad here," she said. "A lot of people put a lot of work into getting eight people out here for me. I was so glad they were here to cheer for me."

Mr. Williams had also been hoping to see his daughter race in the Beijing Olympics over the summer, but was too ill to travel to China. She did not win a medal in her second Olympics.

A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Williams competed as a swimmer, runner and javelin thrower in his home country before moving to the United States in 1969. He worked for General Motors Corp. in Michigan before moving to Beaver County. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 1989.

In addition to Lauryn, survivors include his wife Eudora, daughters Theresa, Poursche, Kourtney and Erikka, and sons David and David Jr.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. today at the William Murphy Funeral Home in Rochester.