Newlywed killed in horror crash outside his home just weeks after birth of child

Holly Williams, 32, from Port Talbot, had only been married to Jordan Powell for five weeks when he was tragically killed outside their home after being hit by a car

A newlywed has told how she is still "numb" after her husband died outside their home in an accident as the couple had been married for just five weeks.

The outlook had appeared almost perfect for Holly Williams, from Port Talbot, after marrying Jordan Powell and having a child together, while she was readying herself to return to Swansea University to continue her nursing studies at the end of her maternity leave. But then tragedy struck with Jordan, 29, who was a motorbike afficionado, hit by a car right outside the front of his house on January 5, 2024, as he came back from a ride.

“I think I'm still a bit numb from the situation,” said 32-year-old Holly. “Like, I kind of just went back into university and then threw myself into university and work. It was a very difficult time, but my kids kept me going.

"I wanted to show them that no matter what challenges you face, they don’t have to defeat you. Instead, they can serve as inspiration for what truly matters. For me, that was completing my course so that I could have a job I not only enjoyed but would allow me to build a brighter future for my family.”

Holly and Jordan shared six children between them, and were both parents to new-born Ivy-Rose who was just 11 weeks old when her father died. Holly explained that the incident had left its impact on the children, reported WalesOnline. She said: “My little child, she gets very tearful. She asks about it quite a lot. My oldest, he doesn’t really talk, he doesn't address his feelings”

Still, Holly never lost sight of what was important, which was her desire to show her children that they could overcome whatever challenges they faced. This was not the first time Holly was facing a challenge, as she had worked as a frontline worker during the pandemic. Holly had started studying for her nursing training during the pandemic, at Swansea University in 2020.

Looking back on that time, Holly said: “It was difficult, we were going into placements, not knowing whether we were going to catch Covid, wherever we were sitting with patients just for their last results or reading their last wishes. It was really difficult. It did affect me. Like, I’d come home and cry. I wouldn’t know what I was walking into, each day was different. But it was just knowing that at the end of it, I was going to end up making a difference. Even if it was just having dinner with someone who couldn’t have family around.”

Jordan played a huge role in helping Holly get through that period as he’d take care of their children when Holly couldn’t see them because of Covid. She said: “I found it difficult to concentrate on online lectures. I was also worried I’d catch Covid-19 while working and pass it on to my family. When I was on maternity leave, though, I was able to concentrate on my pregnancy and my last essay. I was fortunate to have a lot of help from my husband and mum, which made balancing everything easier.”

After she began her life as a single mother of three, Jayden-Mark, 10, Isabelle, 6, and one-year-old Ivy-rose, she said she was helped by her mother, Paula Williams, and her auntie. "They were really supportive, I was allowed to have time off when I wanted with uni. My family had the children, my mum and my aunties helped the kids, for me to work, to go on the placement," she said.

She resumed her studies while keeping up her grades and a placement at Calon Lan Detox Unit in Neath Port Talbot Hospital where she was met with more support. “The clinical leads and other staff were so supportive and understanding of my situation. They made me feel comfortable enough to open up and speak about anything that was bothering me,” she said.

And Holly has graduated with a BSc in Nursing (Mental Health) during a ceremony at Swansea University’s Bay Campus, with her mum watching this special moment from the audience. To others who might be going through something similar, she had one piece of advice: “To keep going, and if they have to lean on someone, lean on them, That’s the best advice I can give.” She added: “Talk to someone and seek support when you need it. Just keep going. With trust and perseverance, amazing things can happen, even after great loss.”