River Smith, left, with his older brother, in a photo from the recently released video
Lake Highlands High grad and country singer Granger Smith will resume his music tour after pausing to grieve the death of 3-year-old son, River, earlier this month. The boy drowned in the backyard pool of the family’s Georgetown home.
Granger and wife, Amber, shared a YouTube video Wednesday, updating fans on their grieving process, their marriage and the events leading up to the fatal accident.
Before River’s death, Granger was in the yard doing gymnastics with his 7-year-old daughter, London, while River and Lincoln, 5, played in a water gun fight. Less than 3 minutes later, Granger and Amber were doing CPR. River was rushed to the hospital but doctors were not able to revive him.
“I don’t think God takes anyone too soon. I believe he was put on this earth for that exact amount of time,” Granger shares on the video. “If you could live those days barefoot, red hair flying back on your tractor full speed ahead, if you could do that with your family around you, with no real care in the world – that’s a good way to live.”
Granger and Amber thanked the many people – celebrities and others – who have reached out in person and via social media to express their condolences. Some have experienced the loss of children by drowning, and the Smiths are preparing to help other families who live this tragedy in the future. They also stressed that they are “committed to each other and our kids.”
The Smiths also shared a video which played at River’s memorial service, full of playful pics of the child with his loving family.
Additional gratitude was expressed for the first responders who attempted to save River’s life on the scene and for the staff at Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin. A t-shirt is being sold depicting an excavator, recalling River’s favorite thing to do – watch excavators scoop up dirt. The t-shirt is red, River’s favorite color, and may be purchased online here. All proceeds go to Dell Children’s and have already exceeded $100,000.
“When you think of River, we want you to smile,” the couple said. “Live like Riv.”
Granger Smith and his family, from Facebook
