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Amber Smith shared a tribute to her late son as she marks five years since losing him in a tragic accident.
She and her husband, former country artist Granger Smith, lost their son, River Kelly Smith, in a drowning accident in June 2019. He was 3 years old. Amber posted several photos on Tuesday (June 4) in River’s memory as sh marked five years after his loss.
“5 years ago was the last time we saw our little wild red-head boy vibrant, and alive on this earth,” Amber wrote in her caption on Instagram. “5 years ago we played and danced for the last time not knowing it was the last. 5 years ago I stared death in the face. 5 years ago it felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest when we lost him and I kissed his little cheeks for the last time. 5 years ago I didn’t think I would ever have joy again.
“5 years later I am a new woman. A woman transformed,” she continued. “5 years later my eyes are open to the Truth and the vapor of a life we have. 5 years later my eyes are fixed on eternity and not this world. 5 years later Jesus has restored my joy in Him. So much can happen in 5 years. Don’t lose heart. Don’t lose hope. When all you want to do is run away, run to the Healer. Again and again. 5 years without you little one, but 5 years closer to eternity. We didn’t get the miracle of healing this side of heaven, but through our suffering, we got the miracle of Jesus and His saving grace. That’s the greatest miracle of all.”
Granger delivered the “unthinkable news” in an Instagram post in 2019. He said at that time that “our family is devastated and heartbroken, but we take solace in knowing (River) is with his Heavenly Father. Riv was special. Everyone that met him knew that immediately. 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. Love the ones close to you. There has never been a more difficult moment for us than this.” Shortly after Granger delivered the news, a rep for the After MidNite host confirmed that River died in a drowning accident at the family’s home in Texas.
Since then, Granger and Amber have shared information about swimming safety. They’ve also opened up about their grief journeys, including Granger in his book, Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward after Loss and Heartache, which released in August 2023.
Granger and Amber are also parents to London, Lincoln and Maverick, who was born in August 2021. Amber previously shared that she “really wanted 'Riv' to be in the name,” and Granger said he’s “liked the name Maverick my whole life, and it's always been just an awesome name to me…And most importantly, to us, it has the letters R-I-V, which he'll forever be connected to his brother, his big brother Riv.”