The Heartbreaking Story Of Serena And Venus Williams' Sister Yetunde Price

Venus and Serena Williams are two of the most accomplished tennis stars and world famous pop culture figures of their generation. Getting their start on the courts of Compton, California, they broke barriers at a time when tennis was mostly a white sport, and eventually transcended the game with their mainstream popularity off the court. But despite their level of fame, Venus and Serena have faced personal tragedies that continue to define them as people. One such tragedy was the devastating loss of their sister, Yetunde Price.

Price, their oldest sister, was gunned down in Compton on September 14, 2003. She was in an SUV with her boyfriend Rolland Wormley, when members of the Southside Crips opened fire on the vehicle. Though Wormley survived the attack, the 31-year-old Price did not, and it was later revealed that the incident occurred because the couple were believed to be members of a rival gang.

During a 2004 interview on ESPN's "In the Arena," Serena recalled having to be the one to deliver the news to Price's three children. "And I just remember like we stayed at my apartment at the time and we just like played Uno," she tearfully said. "Like it was all we could do, was like the most mindless thing we could do." Serena also expressed her gratitude for spending the last six months of Price's life with her, as the bond between the two grew stronger than ever.

Venus and Serena Williams' success as tennis stars and media darlings in the spotlight was tempered by the 2003 murder of their oldest sister, Yetunde Price. The gunman, Robert Maxfield, was arrested in January of 2004, and in 2006, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and was paroled in 2018. Maxfield was later arrested again for violating that parole, according to People.

To honor Price's memory, Venus and Serena created the Yetunde Price Resource Center. The center, located in Compton, opened in 2017, and sought to support victims of violence and their families.

The sisters made the announcement at the Dollarhide Community Center in Compton in 2016, and Serena talked about why they were establishing the new center. "We definitely wanted to honor our sister's memory because she was a great sister," Serena said, via The Root. "She was our oldest sister and obviously she meant a lot to us." Sadly, the loss of her sister isn't the only struggle that Venus Williams has had to cope with, either.