Nationwide — David Anthony ‘Tony’ Williams, a 62-year-old African American father of three from Norbury, South London, died from acute myeloid leukemia after initially mistaking his constant fatigue for stress caused by long working hours. The father, who had considered himself fit and healthy, was diagnosed with the aggressive blood cancer in July 2025 and died less than four months later, despite undergoing intensive treatment.
His health concerns first appeared during the summer of 2025, according to the New York Post. At the time, he worked as a head of IT and regularly put in long hours during the week. His daughter, Zara, was also undergoing hospital treatment for endometriosis, and he often woke up as early as 3 or 4 a.m. to drive her to appointments before going to work. His family initially thought his exhaustion was simply the result of his busy schedule and the stressful period they were going through.
However, his condition became more concerning after the family returned from a vacation in Murcia, Spain. He started taking time off work, sleeping more than usual, and experiencing other symptoms, including a fever and swollen lumps across his body. His daughter and wife, Coral, encouraged him to get checked at Croydon University Hospital. Blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy eventually revealed that he had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Doctors confirmed the diagnosis on July 18, 2025. Zara recalled how her parents broke the news to her in his hospital room. “You never think that you will be told that your father has cancer,” she said.
He was transferred to the Royal Marsden Hospital, where he immediately began chemotherapy. The first round brought some hope, as treatment reduced the cancer levels in his blood from 70% to 15%. His family believed he was responding well and expected another round of chemotherapy to eliminate the remaining cancer. However, the second, more aggressive treatment did not work as hoped. His leukemia levels eventually climbed to 80%, making his condition increasingly difficult to treat.
His health took another turn when he developed a lung infection and a collapsed lung. Doctors considered him for a clinical trial, but he needed to recover from the infection before he could qualify. Unfortunately, the infection did not clear. In early November, his family was told he might have only a month left to live. He died on November 12, just five days after receiving the news.
Zara said she struggled to understand why there were no other treatment options and emphasized that nothing her father could have done would have prevented the disease or changed the outcome. She is now supporting Trial Treat Beat, an initiative by Blood Cancer UK that funds clinical trials aimed at improving survival for patients with some of the deadliest blood cancers. The organization’s CEO, Helen Rowntree, said the effort aims to double survival rates for thousands of people and give more families additional time with their loved ones.