Country singer Granger Smith and his wife suffered a devastating loss in early June when their 3-year-old son, River, died in a “tragic accident.” River, the youngest of the couple’s three children, passed away after drowning in the family’s swimming pool.
“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. 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 wrote on Instagram. “Our family is devastated and heartbroken, but we take solace in knowing he is with his Heavenly Father.’
Now, Smith’s wife Amber has revealed that River was able to save two lives with the donation of his organs. She opened up about the decision on Instagram, calling it “one of the hardest, yet easiest, decisions we’ve ever made.”
Amber also opened up about the heartbreak the family went through during the process, and the peace they found knowing that River had give two people life.
“When 3 different neuro specialists told us that River had 0% chance of brain recovery (yes 0, not 10 or 1%, 0) after shock and reality set in, I thought, how can we bury our sweet baby and not try to help others? His body is perfect, his organs are perfect, we had to do something. There are so many people waiting for an organ to save their lives,” Amber wrote.
But, the process of organ donation isn’t an easy one. It sometimes takes days for a recipient to be matched, so the doctor’s tried to expedite the process so the Smith’s could be “in peace.” They took River back to operate the following morning so they could start the organ donation process.
“I spent the night laying in bed with him, crying and talking to him while they kept running tests and taking blood. The next morning family and staff lined the hall for the ‘walk of honor.’ We told them River liked to go fast, so to honor him, they pushed him down that hall faster than they had ever pushed anyone,” Amber said.
Granger and Amber later found out that their “tiny, red-headed hero” saved the lives of two adults: A 49-year-old woman and a 53-year-old-man.