Hundreds gather to honor late Bill Diamond at Windham High School

WINDHAM, Maine (WMTW) - Hundreds gathered Saturday afternoon at Windham High School to honor the life and legacy of former state senator and child advocate Bill Diamond, who died on Aug. 31 at the age of 80.

Family, friends, and members of Maine’s political leadership joined community members in remembering Diamond’s decades of public service and his advocacy for vulnerable children in Maine. Among those in attendance were Sen. Susan Collins and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.

“A voice for the children, but also teaching us how to use ours,” said Betsey Grant, a friend of Diamond’s. “We can talk and say how awful this is, but he would help us take action — call the news, you’ve got to speak."

In 2023, Diamond founded the nonprofit Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, continuing his longtime mission to protect abused and neglected children in Maine.