William P. Capote

William Peter Capote Jr. passed away on the morning of Tuesday, August 16, 2016 as a result of complications from Muscular Dystrophy. He was 36 years old. William was born in the Bronx, NY on January 9, 1980. He was the third child, and the first son, of Maria Elena and William (Bill) Peter Capote, Sr.

William graduated from the Henry Viscardi School in 1999, where he served as Vice President of Student Council and Captain of the hockey team. After graduation, he continued his education at Hofstra University.

William lived fearlessly and faithfully. Throughout the course of his life, he suffered from a devastating degenerative disease but he never let that disease define who he was. He wrote in his autobiography, "Grace Guides Me Through": The Lord has been a constant comfort to me throughout the years, especially now as I grow weaker. I am a quadriplegic. I have no use of my legs and arms. A ventilator assists my breathing. I used to be able to feed, dress and bath myself; yet, I believe that I am truly blessed. That is why I feel that I need to write this book. I want to share with people the blessings that I have and continue to receive from the Lord. All you need to do is believe in Jesus and have faith. He will do the rest. The Lord's grace has guided me through.

William considered every moment a gift, living richly with joy, kindness, peace and incredible gratitude. His thoughtful nature endeared him to his friends and family. William devoted himself to prayer with a thankful heart. He was never one to complain. Rather William was quick to comfort others and had a calming presence. When William's doctors observed these characteristics in him, they asked him to be a patient support contact for others with similar conditions, a service William joyfully performed. William was also a loyal fan of the NY Giants and would watch every game to cheer on the Big Blue!

One of William's fond childhood memories was of racing his brother and sisters. He wrote in his autobiography: My grandfather would officiate the races. We all would line up at one end of the driveway and wait with anticipation. Before I knew it, I was in back of the pack, but I kept on running. I would not give up. I could hear my grandfather cheering "Go! Go! Go!" I was able to press on. I ran and ran. As I got closer to the finish line my sisters and brother began to cheer. Then finally I reached the finish line and they all roared!

William fought the good fight, kept the faith, and finished the race on Tuesday, August 16, 2016. This time William beat his siblings. He is waiting for them to finish the race. He is cheering them on every step of the way.

William is survived by his father and mother, Bill and Maria Elena Capote; his siblings: Victoria (and husband Kevin) Haniffy, Raquel, and Daniel Capote; and his new nephew Conor William Haniffy.

A celebration of William's life will be held on Friday, August 26th from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Pelham Funeral Home, 64 Lincoln Ave., Pelham, New York. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Saturday morning, August 27th, 10:00 AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 559 Pelham Manor Road, Pelham Manor, NY.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to William Capote Jr. Memorial Fund at https://www.generosity.com/memorial-fundraising/william-capote-jr-memorial-fund