Our world lost some of its light on November 17, 2022 with the passing of the profound and cherished William Emmett Powers IV (a/k/a Will, Bill, Billy, Cool Bill). Born on March 20, 1987, Will was a student of life; a modern-day philosopher; and a master soul. Will is survived by the love of his life, his adored wife and partner, Molly Garrison Powers; his supportive and loving parents, Eugenia and Mark Buchanan, and Bill (Christi) Powers; his caring siblings, Anthony (Melanie) Buchanan, Andrea Powers, Colleen Kessler, and Meghan (Ross Richardson) Powers; nephew and godson Matthew Buchanan; niece Ava Buchanan; nephew Dylan Kessler; nephew Harrison Kessler; nephew Remy Richardson; nephew Ellis Richardson; and nephew Crosby Richardson. Will was preceded in death by his grandparents, William Emmett Powers, Jr. and Kathleen Powers. Will passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones, being read a book on mysticism.

Will was born in Hoffman Estates, Illinois and raised in Schaumburg, Illinois. He attended St. Hubert Catholic School for elementary and middle school, joining the band playing alto-saxophone. Those who met Will later in life will remember him as quietly confident, humble, and reliable – but those lucky enough to know him in his youth recall a sweet yet mischievous boy who loved to test boundaries.

A proud Cougar, Will attended James B. Conant High School, graduating in 2005. During his four years at Conant, Will continued to play the alto-saxophone in the band. He also lent his talents to the football team, playing both offensive and defensive line, as well as the basketball, volleyball, and track squads. Will’s talents on the gridiron steered his path to Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where he played defensive line for the Titans from 2005 to 2007. Although he enjoyed his time in Central Illinois, the mountains and sun were calling. Will transferred to the University of Colorado – Boulder in 2008. He studied finance and entrepreneurship, earning his degree from the university’s Leeds School of Business in 2010.

A modern-day bean counter and an entrepreneur at heart, after completing his studies, Will and a group of close friends co-founded Lokalite. Based in Boulder, Lokalite was an advertising agency and community networking platform connecting users with events and friends in the area. Acting as Co-Founder, CEO, and CFO of Lokalite, Will worked with his co-founders to raise $400,000 in angel seed capital to fund development. After selling Lokalite, Will worked as a procurement manager at Level 3 Communications.

In 2015, Will was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor located on his brain stem. The prognosis was grim, the doctors told Will, and they estimated he had only a year to live. This devastating diagnosis would have sidelined the strongest of people – but Will, not to be deterred from living the life he loved so much, immediately took charge of his health and diagnosis. His focus, persistence, and determination kicked into high-gear, and he refused to give up. He researched his diagnosis exhaustively and implemented a regimented, healthy lifestyle, acting as his own zealous advocate, refusing to accept the doctors’ prognosis. Will’s entire family showed up and fought along his side. Will’s greatest champion was Jeannie, his steadfast and compassionate mother, to whom Will referred as his “rock.” Jeannie cared for and supported Will from the date of his diagnosis, every step of the way. He credited her with many of his successes – without her, he would not have been able to fight as long or as hard.

Will defied the odds and shrunk his tumor over 75% by employing a combination of radiation, a strict healthy lifestyle, and other naturopathic remedies. Will’s endless research led him to employ a ketogenic diet, physical activity, yoga, sauna and cold therapy, meditation, cannabis, and vitamins and supplements to prolong and enrich his life, shocking all of his medical providers. He maintained his wholesome lifestyle until his last days and was passionate about sharing his research and findings about health with his loved ones. Will’s journey with brain cancer inspired everyone he met to live life to its fullest, to fight for yourself and what you believe in, and to never surrender.

Will met the love of his life, his true love, his partner and wife, Molly, in 2015, during his treatment for the brain slug. Their fond friendship blossomed into a romance, which eventually flourished into a once in a lifetime kind of love. Will and Molly were married in an intimate ceremony earlier this year, surrounded by the love and support of close family and friends, from near and far. Together, Will and Molly traveled the world, visiting eight countries and countless US states, creating adventures and memories to last a lifetime. They read together, cooked together, learned together, laughed together, did everything together. With the help of family and friends, Will and Molly also remodeled their entire townhome. Will took the lead, meticulously and patiently researching each project with the help of YouTube. A true testament to Will’s focus, patience, determination, and capacity for learning, he oversaw the project to completion, creating a gorgeous home for him and Molly to begin their lives together. The love that Will and Molly shared serves as a lodestar to those who know them – a true example of a respectful, caring, supportive, and fun-loving partnership that we should all strive for in our lives.

Will’s family and friends remember him as his own man who believed in doing the right thing. He was open-minded and open-hearted, sincere, an intent listener, and a patient teacher – a “flower” connoisseur, a finance and crypto-currency enthusiast, and a cruncher of numbers. Will was a lover of the outdoors – he enjoyed hiking, walking, skiing, any opportunity to spend time in the sunshine and fresh air. Multi-dimensional as he was, Will was also passionate about the arts – he enjoyed music, visiting museums, and collecting artwork. Will’s patience and stoicism lent to his authentic and magnetic personality – these key components of who he was made those around him feel comfortable and loved. Those close to him will fondly miss Will’s hugs – when he enveloped you into a bear hug, he drew you in not only to his body, but also into his heart and his soul.

A lifelong student, Will loved to learn, and his favorite medium was the podcast. He listened to varied topics, from health to finance, homeopathy to philosophy. He was a sponge for knowledge from a very young age, always curious and asking questions. With his impressive vocabulary, Will also enjoyed crosswords, whether filling them out himself or assisting Molly with her daily puzzle that she could never quite finish without him. As dedicated of a student that he was, Will was also a passionate teacher – he shared his knowledge and wisdom in his patient, calm, and Socratic way, making a profound impact on all those whose paths he crossed. Will was rational, well-reasoned, and analytical in all aspects of his life, approaching decisions and conflict with these discerning characteristics, always seeing things through to the end with integrity. Will truly lived according to his own manifest, instead of anyone else’s opinion, keeping his internal compass pointed to true north and always doing the right thing.

A giver in this life and beyond, it was Will’s wish to help others with similar diagnoses and those in need. Will donated his brain and brain stem to the Nervous System Tumor Bank at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for research purposes. The Tumor Bank is hopeful that Will’s generous donation will assist in the development of new treatments but also aid in the determination of the reasons for the failure, and ultimate correction, of current treatment modalities. Will also donated substantial bone and soft tissue to Gift of Hope. This donation will help countless lives for years to come. Although Will is no longer physically with us, his generosity of spirit is still palpable and as widespread as in life.

A private celebration of life will be held at one of Will’s favorite restaurants and, per his wishes, a party will be had. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Will’s memory to Charity: Water (charitywater.org) an organization working to help bring potable drinking water to communities in need around the world.

Sometimes our lives are not measured in length but in quality; Will had a measurable impact on many, and his spirit will continue to do so.

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