Connecticut, national lawmakers shocked by the loss of State Rep. Quentin Williams: ‘A young, bright life gone too early’
Connecticut legislators were shocked to wake up to the news that their friend and colleague, Rep. Quentin Williams, D-Middletown, was killed in a wrong-way car crash early Thursday morning.
Williams, 39, served the 100th district in the House of Representatives and was recently named House Chair of the Labor Committee, according to a release from House leadership. He is survived by his wife Carrissa and his mother Queen.
He was sworn into his third term in office at Connecticut’s Inauguration event on Wednesday evening. Several of his colleagues sent out messages remembering him, some of them posted pictures taken with him at the event just hours before the crash.
State officials
Gov. Ned Lamont, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Attorney General William Tong:
“This is devastating news, and I am incredibly saddened by this tragedy,” Lamont said. “Quentin had an infectiously optimistic personality, and he absolutely loved having the opportunity to represent his lifelong home of Middletown at the State Capitol. Public service was his passion, and he was always advocating on behalf of the people of his hometown. He was a genuine person with a genuine soul, and he will be missed. My prayers are with his family, including his wife Carrissa and his mother Queen, as well as his friends and colleagues in the General Assembly.”
Lamont lowered flags to half-staff in Williams’ honor on Thursday, according to a release sent from his office.
“I have had the incredible privilege of knowing and working closely with Q Williams, a lifelong resident of Middletown, for nearly two decades,” Bysiewicz said. “Q was the product of Middletown Public Schools and was a passionate advocate for education. Prior to serving in the legislature, Q was the director of Middletown’s Downtown District. I had the pleasure of working with Q as he worked to help entrepreneurs and Main St. businesses grow and thrive. Q loved Middletown’s Main Street, and our thriving downtown lead him to create the Main Street Caucus in our state’s legislature.”
“I met Q before he became a state legislator when he was an advocate for a local school in Stamford, and I can only think of one word to describe him — hopeful. Q was always brimming with optimism and possibility. He had a spirit that was relentlessly positive and aspirational. We need his light more than ever, and that’s why it is so hard to lose him. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife and his family and the community that he loved and served,” Tong said.
U.S. representatives
U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy offered their condolences on social media. U.S. Congress members also released statements honoring the up-and-coming politician.
“A truly tragic loss for the Williams family & for our state. A young, bright life gone too early. My deepest condolences to Q’s friends, family, & loved ones,” Blumenthal said on social media.
“Terrible news today of Q Williams sudden death. He was a great friend, a present and future leader, and a kind, graceful presence that made everyone around him better. What a loss. I’m sending every good thought I have to his family and friends today,” said Murphy on Twitter.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney:
“This is a heartbreaking loss for our state. Quentin ‘Q’ Williams was a lifelong resident of Middletown, and as the people of this state will learn in the coming days, he was a builder—of policy, of bipartisan relationships, and of lasting friendships. Our state and our country need more people like Quentin, and to lose such a dedicated public servant at such a young age is an absolute tragedy. My heart goes out to Quentin, his wife Carrissa, and to their family and loved ones, and Audrey and I are keeping them in our hearts and prayers.”
U.S. Rep. John Larson:
“State Rep. Quentin Williams served his lifelong home of Middletown in the General Assembly with dignity and vision. He will be remembered by us all for his optimism and true passion for public service. Rep. Williams’ wife Carrissa and his entire family are in my prayers.”
Fellow legislators
Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, and Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford:
“I am in shock,” Ritter said. “Q was my dear friend and I am scarred by his sudden loss. We will have time to reflect on Q as a legislator in the weeks to come, but right now I deeply mourn my friend and send all of my love to Carrissa, Queen and Q’s family. We will all miss Q.”
“Rep. Williams was an amazing human being,” Rojas said. “His infectious smile could instantly make a difficult day better. He was an amazing husband, friend and colleague. He loved community and serving others. Truly a friend to all who knew him. This is a terrible tragedy and a great loss to our state. My heart goes out to his wife, family, and all who loved Q. We will miss him.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Martin Looney, D-New Haven, and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk:
“The loss of our colleague Representative Quentin “Q” Williams is utterly shocking and unspeakably heartbreaking. He was a wonderful person who was smart, talented, and had a laugh that would make everyone laugh with him. He was always energetic, exuberant, and felt blessed to be a public servant. We have lost a valued and dedicated member of the legislative community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carrissa and his family and loved ones during this devastating time. Truly tragic news for all who knew him.”
Ritter and Looney canceled all legislative meetings Thursday and closed the Capitol Complex, according to a release from House leadership.
Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, is serving as the spokesperson for the family:
“Q was a beloved friend and his passing even as I write this is still shocking and unfathomable,” Lesser said. “He and his family have meant so much to the Middletown community and personally to myself and my family. As a legislator, he was a passionate and committed public servant whose intellect and warmth made our state a better place and the General Assembly a better place. He was a trailblazer, the first Black state representative ever elected in Middletown. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carrissa and his mother Queen and his entire family as they manage the unimaginable.”
Chair of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus Rep. Geraldo Reyes, D-Waterbury, and Co-Chair Bobby Gibson, D-Bloomfield, West Hartford:
“Rep. Williams was a trailblazer who fought for equality and was committed to creating learning opportunities in all communities,” Reyes and Gibson said. “Today, we have lost a brother who truly dedicated his life to public service. We are in mourning and send our deepest condolences to the Williams family. His infectious smile lit up every room that he ever entered. He will be deeply missed.”
They said he was an advocate for the caucus and “fought tirelessly” to help families struggling with the housing crisis. They noted he was the first African American person to represent Middletown in the General Assembly.
“This is such a huge loss for our community and family here in the legislature,” Sen. Jan Hochadel, D-Meriden said. “Representative Williams was an inspiration and always had a positive outlook. He was a tireless advocate for improving the lives of so many families in his district and throughout Connecticut. He took his leadership role seriously and served the residents of Middletown proudly. I hope to honor his memory by representing the people in Middletown with the passion he demonstrated. I will never forget the work Representative Williams has done and the example he set. My deepest thoughts, prayers, and sincerest condolences are with his family at this time.”
State Representative Geoff Luxenberg, D-Manchester, House Chair of Housing Committee:
“In a gut-wrenching, heart-breaking instant, I learned that my friend of nearly 20 years, Quentin “Q” Williams has tragically passed away. No statement from any friend, colleague, politician or person will ever be able to capture in words his humility, his passion for justice, or his zeal for life. When Q laughed — his one-of-a-kind booming laugh — you felt his joy deep in your soul. When he smiled, the room lit up. When he spoke, everyone listened. And when he worked as Chair of this Housing Committee, or in any legislative capacity, you knew with a certainty that was both comforting and rare, the bedrock of his work was a passion and love for the people of Connecticut that was deeper and more authentic and more real than anyone. State legislators come and go but there will never be another Q. Many news reports will soon honor his legacy with all his accomplishments but his legacy to the institution, State of Connecticut, and to the Housing Committee, which he chaired until Wednesday with such skill and honor, will always be about his incredible humility. I think he would want us to remember him modestly as Q — a friend and humble public servant, a man of the people, a person who fought the toughest injustices of this world, and because of his Texas-sized heart and brilliant mind, won more than most.”
State Senator Jan Hochadel, D-Meriden:
“This is such a huge loss for our community and family here in the legislature. Representative Williams was an inspiration and always had a positive outlook. He was a tireless advocate for improving the lives of so many families in his district and throughout Connecticut. He took his leadership role seriously and served the residents of Middletown proudly. I hope to honor his memory by representing the people in Middletown with the passion he demonstrated. I will never forget the work Representative Williams has done and the example he set. My deepest thoughts, prayers, and sincerest condolences are with his family at this time.”
Local officials
Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim said Williams, a Middletown resident, embodied the phrase larger than life.
“His laugh, smile and presence were felt in every space shared with him,” Florsheim said in a statement. “His passing is a true loss for our community. A light has been dimmed today. His dedication to fighting for equality, education, workers’ rights, and justice in all its forms is irreplaceable, and while we are heartbroken, the community he loved so much — and where Q was loved so much in return — will continue the fight.”
Other local politicians reflected on his legacy.
Meriden Mayor Kevin M. Scarpati and Meriden’s State Delegation:
“Through our work together with Middletown we have known Q to be a passionate lawmaker with a mission to provide children and families a brighter future, carried out by his hard work, tremendous personality and sense of humor. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and colleagues at this difficult time. His legacy will live on through the many lives he has touched, both personally and professionally.”
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and Sara Bronin:
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and Chair of the Federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Sara Bronin each sent condolences on his passing.
“Last night, Q Williams was so full of energy, joy, and passion for his new role and the work ahead. Heartbroken by the news this morning,” Luke Bronin wrote.
Political parties
State organizations
Ed Hawthorne and Shellye Davis, president and executive vice president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO:
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Rep. Williams earlier this morning. Just last night, we talked with Q at the inaugural ball and he was true to form – brimming with positive energy and a big smile that lit up the room. Q was not only an incredible advocate for his constituents in Middletown, but for all working people across Connecticut. We were very much looking forward to working with him as the new House Chair of the Labor & Public Employees Committee. His loss will be felt deeply for a long time to come. Our thoughts and our prayers are with his wife, Carissa, and the rest of his family.”
Advocacy groups
Connecticut Justice Alliance Executive Director Christina Quaranta and Policy Director Illiana Pujos:
“We are devastated by the death of our friend Quentin Williams. Q was a remarkable representative the people of Middletown had pride in and could count on to always fight for them. Q stood up for all those in Connecticut whose voice was not allowed to be heard as loud as others. His brilliance, his compassion, and his larger-than-life smile could change the mood in any room and most importantly bring change to both opinion and policy when it was needed most.
“He cared deeply about many of the issues CTJA holds dear and we considered him not just an ally, but a friend. This is a very sad day for Connecticut. We offer our support and condolences to Q’s family. He can not be replaced.”
Pete Harrison, director, DesegregateCT:
“We are devastated by the news of losing State Representative Quentin Williams last night. He was generous, smart, and hard-working, and made you believe a better future was coming for our state. We are heartbroken for his family, his friends, his colleagues, and his constituents. We have all lost a true champion for Connecticut and a great friend today.”
