ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—When Andre Williams was afflicted with muscular dystrophy at age 5 he was given only a few years to live. Miraculously, he is still alive but badly disabled, confined to a wheel chair and barely able to speak.
There’s no cure for muscular dystrophy, but medications and therapy can help manage symptoms and slow the course of the disease. William’s friend, Victor Moss, has been helping to pay for these resources by creating and selling custom T-shirts.
“I have made it my passion to help Andre,” Moss said.
To do this, Moss creates designs on his computer at his home in Lyndhurst and then heat presses them onto cotton fabric. The shirts, many decorated with glitter, are emblazoned with dramatic and inspirational messages, such as “Humble your life and retain your soul.”
“I met Andre in Englewood six years ago,” Moss said, “and he is like a brother to me.”
Moss sells his T-shirts on his website, humblevictory.com, and in front of Starbucks in Englewood on weekdays. He and his wife, Luz, also sell his T-shirts at Englewood events such as the Sidewalk Sale and Englewood Community Day.
Moss gives half of his proceeds to provide care for Williams and also donates a portion to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
On Sunday, Aug. 25, Moss and several family members who are Englewood residents held a special fundraising event at Closet For Her, a popular Englewood boutique owned by Avis Young. From 3 to 5:30 p.m., dozens of people came to support Moss’s charity while enjoying wine and cheese and socializing.
To enhance the experience, there was also a vocal performance by opera and gospel singer Selena, whose stage name is Miracle Harmony.
“I do this to bring joy to people,” Selena said. She entertained with spirituals as well as songs by Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and other iconic singers.
Moss was pleased with the large turnout and the steady sales of T-shirts and Williams’s book, “The Andre Williams Story.”
“It is important to call attention to and support individuals with disabilities because so many people ignore them or do not understand the ordeals that they are going through,” Moss said. “I like selling my work in Englewood because it is a great community where everyone cares for each other.”