Fellow Artists Send Support to Country Singer After Tragic Announcement of Son’s Drowning
Nothing hits quite as hard as the death of a child, and it’s easy to see why. Their passing inverts the ordinary pattern of life and reminds us just how broken the world can be.
We got another one of those tragic reminders on June 6 when country star Granger Smith posted a tragic announcement on Twitter and Instagram. His 3-year-old son had passed away unexpectedly.
“I have to deliver unthinkable news. We’ve lost our youngest son, River Kelly Smith,” he wrote.
“Following a tragic accident, and despite doctor’s best efforts, he was unable to be revived. Amber and I made the decision to say our last goodbyes and donate his organs so that other children will be given a second chance at life.”
— Granger Smith (@GrangerSmith) June 6, 2019
He added, “Our family is devastated and heartbroken, but we take solace in knowing he is with his Heavenly Father. Riv was special.”
Smith’s representative told Fox News River had died in a drowning accident.
Nothing can even hope to soothe the pain of such a loss. Still, fellow country music peers quickly expressed their condolences and pledged their support on social media.
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Luke Bryan wrote in a comment, “Many prayers. So sorry,” People reported.
“Heartbroken for you and your family,” Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney said. “Sending all the love.”
Lauren Alaina went one step further, writing, “We will make a donation in his honor and will encourage our friends to do the same. Sending all my love and prayers.”
Kane Brown personally reached out to Smith, saying, “I just want you to know that I love you man. And anything at all you ever need, I’m here for you, brother, and I love you, and I’m praying for y’all,” according to Entertainment Tonight.
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News of River’s death also drew comments from someone entirely out of the country music sphere. Professional volleyball player Morgan Miller, who lost her 19-month-old daughter to drowning in 2018, shared Smith’s initial announcement on social media.
“My heart breaks,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories, according to People. “Another baby gone too soon.”
Miller has become an advocate for preventing childhood drowning. In the wake of the Smith family’s loss, she reiterated the need to install safeguards around home pools.
“I urge you to make your babies safer!” she added. “Sign them up for swim lessons.”
There’s a reason to take her warnings to heart. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show that children between 1 and 4 years old perish most often from unintentional drowning — and do so most often in home swimming pools.
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