Country singer Granger Smith recently shared about the passing of his 3-year-old son in a heartbreaking Instagram post.
A few weeks later, he's sharing with his fans what really happened, and how he's learning to heal.
Country singer Granger Smith recently shared about the passing of his 3-year-old son in a heartbreaking Instagram post.
A few weeks later, he's sharing with his fans what really happened, and how he's learning to heal.
"I have to deliver unthinkable news. We’ve lost our youngest son, River Kelly Smith. Following a tragic accident," he wrote to fans.
"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."
"Our family is devastated and heartbroken, but we take solace in knowing he is with his Heavenly Father," he said.
"I believe I’m obligated on certain levels to include you guys in my current journey, as I’ve been involved either personally or musically in yours," he wrote.
He explained that he was outside "doing gymnastics" with his 7-year-old daughter, London.
River and their other son, Lincoln, 5, were playing with water guns.
He explained that it was between "30 seconds and three minutes" later that they were suddenly inside their pool gate attempting CPR on their son, highlighting how quickly things can happen.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 350 children under the age of five drown per year. Among unintentional injuries, drowning is the second leading cause of death to this age group after motor vehicle accidents.
Additionally, another 2,600 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year for near-drowning incidents. Some of these submersion accidents result in permanent brain damage.
These kinds of accidents can happen extremely quickly and often don't involve any obvious signs of a struggle, so please be hyper-aware and alert about your children's safety around bodies of water this summer.
"I don't think God takes anyone too soon," he said. "I believe he was put on this Earth for that exact amount of time," he added.
"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," he went on.
This time around, he won't be doing meet and greets, but he said that music has always been his healing and this is the best place for him right now.
He and his wife are determined to continue to live their best life, and try to create some good out of a horrible situation.