JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The father of Braxton Williams and Bri'ya Williams said his faith in God kept him going during the two-day search that ended with his children found safe in a wooded area on the Westside.
"I was never losing faith," their father, Bryan Williams said Wednesday evening. "As a father, I'll never not have faith in God, especially anything about my kids ... the whole time it was going down, I had to think of the best -- I just knew I was going to see them again."
Braxton Williams, 6, and Bri'ya Williams, 5, will remain at UF Health for at least one more night, but their father says the children are doing fine and are as lively as ever.
"They're jumping around, playing around the room -- they're happy," Bryan Williams said.
Both children were reported missing Sunday after they were last seen playing in front of their home in the Paradise Village mobile home park. Bryan Williams told officers he was outside setting up for a bar-b-cue and the children were outside with him when they disappeared. Soon, an Amber Alert was issued, and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and members of the community stepped in to find the children.
"This brought the whole city together," Bryan Williams said. "We had people from Normandy, Southside, you name it ... When you actually see something go down, you think that people don't care, but when a situation like that involving kids -- I actually see the city cares. There's a lot of caring people and God bless them."
The children were found by first responders in the woods Tuesday afternoon. After receiving food and water, the siblings were taken to UF Health to be evaluated and reunited with the family. Bryan Williams said he was overjoyed to see his children safe aside from a few scratches and bruises.
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"When I walked in, Braxton jumped in my arms and my daughter ... once she got it together, she dived into my arms," he recalled, "and I just embraced my kids and went to crying."
Bryan Williams said Christmas will be extra special this year, knowing all nine of children will be under one roof, safe and sound.
"Christmas is going to be lovely," he said. "Me and my nine kids, Christmas is going to be great this year. The best thing that could ever happen, having family back together."
The full interview can be viewed below.