My parents have always been cool. They even became surrogates to friends of mine who didn’t have such supportive parents.

Williams is emphasizing not just personal gratitude but a broader model of family as a chosen, expandable support system. Calling her parents “cool” signals an unusual openness—parents who respect autonomy and social worlds beyond the household. The detail that they became “surrogates” for friends reframes parenting as a community role: emotional shelter can be offered to those whose own families are unsupportive. The quote implicitly contrasts acceptance with rejection, suggesting that parental care can mitigate social and psychological harm for young people lacking it. It also highlights how generosity and stability in one family can ripple outward, shaping a wider network of belonging.