Country Singer Opens Up About Day of 3-Year-Old Son's Death: 'Don't Feel Sorry For Us'
In the wake of unexpected tragedy, it can be tough to remember how to smile. Grief is overwhelming and can tempt us to turn our backs on hope and faith. However, country music star Granger Smith is using his public platform to help others seek the light in the darkness.
Earlier this month, Smith announced sorrowful news to his friends and followers via a somber Instagram post.
“I have to deliver unthinkable news,” Smith wrote. “We’ve lost our youngest son, River Kelly Smith. Following a tragic accident, and despite doctor’s best efforts, he was unable to be revived.”
Three-year-old River died after drowning in an accident on the family’s Texas property.
“Our family is devastated and heartbroken, but we take solace in knowing he is with his Heavenly Father,” Smith wrote.
“The joy he brought to our lives cannot be expressed and his light will be forever in our hearts. If there are words to say more, I cannot find them in this moment.”
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The Smith family avoided social media as they began to work through their grief. Yesterday, Smith and his wife, Amber, broke their silence to post an emotional tribute to their late son on their YouTube channel.
The Smiths began the 30-minute video, aptly titled “Finding Light In Our Darkest Time,” with a few words about the importance of hanging tight to faith in moments of sorrow. Rather than ask their fans for sympathy, the couple delivered an unexpected message: “Don’t feel sorry for us.”
“We are going to search for every bit of good that we can find in this situation. The worst situation we’ve ever been through, hopefully ever,” Smith said. “We’re going to constantly search for ways that good will come out of this.”
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The Smiths’ faith in God has played a major role in allowing them to work through their grief. Although they admit that they’ll never understand the reason behind their son’s death, they believe that God wants them to search for the meaning River’s life held.
“In our belief, God gave us River for three years, and that was his mission,” Smith said. “I don’t believe that God takes anyone too soon.”
“I’m not going to play around in my mind that there’s this fictitious timeline of River graduating from college or high school or playing football,” he continued, “because I believe that he was put on this earth for that exact amount of time.”
Smith recalled the moments preceding the accident. A few moments before tragedy struck, he was outside doing gymnastics with his 7-year-old daughter, London, while his two sons played with water guns.
Smith believes those precious moments hold the key to understanding God’s message about family and love.
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“I remember thinking, I was looking at London as she was doing gymnastics and I thought, ‘Soak up this moment, because it’s not going to last forever,'” Smith said. “Somewhere between 30 seconds and three minutes, we don’t know, Amber and I are inside our pool gate doing CPR on our son.'”
The couple urged their viewers to “soak up” family moments as they happen because no one can predict the future.
“Love those close to you. Soak up those moments. Live for today, live in the present, because we’re not guaranteed tomorrow,” they said.
When London asked her father how many days River had lived, Smith realized that he’d known his son for a little over 1,000 days. The thought made him consider life in a new way.
“What if you were given a gift of one thousand days on this earth, and you could live those days barefoot, red hair flying back on your go-kart, on your tractor, full speed ahead?” Smith said. “If you could do that, with your family around you, with no real cares in the world, that’s a good thousand days. That’s a good way to live.”
Smith said that he will continue seeking solace by creating music with his family by his side. He plans to bring his wife and two children, London and Lincoln Monarch, on tour with him.
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“We’ve cried. We’ve smiled. I’ve held my family tight. I’ve found strength from God and used that in the face of adversity so that my wife and children can rely on me,” Smith wrote in the video’s caption.
Before concluding their video with a touching video montage of their son, the Smiths left their viewers with a powerful and positive message.
“When you think of Riv, we want you to smile,” they said. “Live like Riv.”
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