Bill’s Legacy

My father’s love for the Guatemalan people began with an encounter that could only be described as providential. One day, with his friend Bill Peebles by his side, he arrived at the doorstep of a struggling detox center—Casa Tat Loy—with an earnest desire to help. What he didn’t know then was that his visit came at the brink of their closing. Without their support, the center would have shut its doors the very next week.

That moment marked the beginning of a profound transformation in his life. Over the next ten years, his connection to the Guatemalan people became the cornerstone of his spiritual legacy. He fell in love with their culture, their resilience, and their warmth. Through this bond, his heart softened; he became more loving, more open, and developed a "heart of service."

Looking back, I can see how much he grew during those years—how he became the best version of himself. The graciousness, humility, and sincerity he found in the Guatemalan people were once foreign to him, qualities he had struggled to embody as a young addict. Yet, through his love for them, those very traits became the foundation of his character.

Though he is no longer with us, his spirit remains in Guatemala, woven into the lives he touched. They became a part of him, and he became a part of them—a bond that endures to this day and will continue for generations to come.

—Shay Holloway, Bill’s daughter