Country singer Granger Smith has tearfully spoken about the death of his youngest son, three-year-old River, in a tragic drowning accident.
River drowned in the pool at the family’s home in Georgetown, Texas, earlier this month.
On Wednesday, the 39-year-old country singer took to social media to share an update on how he and his wife and his wife Amber are doing as well as to share the details about their final moments with their son.
In a YouTube video titled Finding Light In Our Darkest Time, Smith said he remembered thinking to himself just before the accident: ‘Soak up this moment because it’s not going to last.
‘Between 30 seconds and three minutes, we don’t know, Amber and I are inside our pool gate doing CPR on our son.’
In a YouTube video titled Finding Light In Our Darkest Time, Smith said he remembered thinking to himself just before the accident: ‘Soak up this moment because it’s not going to last
1,000 days to live: ‘God gave River to us for three years and that was his mission,’ Smith explained
Smith’s home in Georgetown, Texas, and the pool where his son died. The circumstances surrounding the drowning remain unclear
Smith began the video by thanking fans, friends and family for keeping him and his family in their thoughts.
He explained in the caption of the video, as well as in a post on Instagram, that he had gone ‘dark on social media,’ but that he feels ‘obligated on certain levels to include [his followers] in [his] current journey.’
He then explained in detail his final moments with River, recalling how he was watching his daughter London do gymnastics in the yard.
The Backroad Song hitmaker’s thought was not unlike those of many parents… children grow up, those moments should be treasured.
But he couldn’t have expected what was about to take place.
River had fallen into the pool and drowned.
Smith now plans to return to touring and will be taking Amber and their two children – Lincoln, 5, and London, 7, – with him. ‘Music has always been my healing, the place I turned to,’ he said in a clip from the video above
He was rushed to a hospital, but doctors were not able to save him.
He died two days later.
Smith and Amber struggled not to cry throughout the video, sometimes failing, but it seems Smith has already begun to try to find the ‘meaning and the good in this’.
‘We had an incredible boy for three years and we feel good about that.
‘God gave River to us for three years and that was his mission,’ he explained.
‘I’m not going to play around in my mind that there’s this fictitious timeline of River graduating from college or high school or playing football because I believe he was put on this earth for that exact amount of time,’ he said, continuing, ‘I don’t think God takes anyone too soon. I believe he was put on this earth for that exact amount of time,’ he said.
Soak up those moments: ‘We had an incredible boy for three years and we feel good about that,’ Smith says in a YouTube video titled Finding Light In Our Darkest Time
‘Don’t feel sorry for us because we feel very blessed that we had an incredible little boy for three years,’ Granger Smith said.
‘We feel really good about that. And we feel really good about our other kids and their state of mind right now. We are going to live our best life and we’re going to do it with you guys and we’re going to share it with you guys.’
Smith now plans to return to touring and will be taking Amber and their two children – Lincoln, 5, and London, 7, – with him. However, he isn’t doing meet and greets just yet because he isn’t quite ready.
‘Music has always been my healing, the place I turned to,’ he said.
The singer went on to share that when his daughter asked him how long River lived, he realized it was, ‘Just over a thousand days.’
That’s when Granger had an epiphany.
‘What if you were given a gift to live 1,000 days on this earth and you could live those days barefoot, red hair flying back on your go cart, on your tractor, full speed ahead?’ he asked, answering the question in the next sentence.
‘If you could do that with your family around you with no real cares in the world… that’s a good 1,000 days… that’s a good way to live.’
‘We should all be so blessed to be able to live like Riv,’ he wrote.
They ended their chat by sharing a video that had been played at River’s funeral service and showed the youngster enjoying life, playing with his siblings and waiting for his dad to come home. One of the pictures shared is seen above
Another photo from the video montage is seen above. It was played at River’s funeral service
The couple thanked supporters for raising over $100,000 for Dell Children’s Hospital where River was treated. The above photo of River was shared in the video montage
A sweet video featured in the montage showing River giggling as he played on his truck
The couple thanked supporters for raising over $100,000 for Dell Children’s Hospital where River was treated.
‘We are going to search for every bit of good that we can find in this situation, you know, the worst situation we’ve ever been through. Hopefully ever.
‘We’re going to constantly search for ways that good will come out of this. That’s my commitment to River’s legacy.’
They ended their chat by sharing a video that had been played at River’s funeral service and showed the youngster enjoying life, playing with his siblings and waiting for his dad to come home.
‘This is not a sad video,’ Smith said. ‘This is something we want to make you smile with. When I think of Riv, I want you to smile. From now on. Live like Riv. Love you guys.’
Mother’s love: Smith and Amber struggled not to cry throughout the video, sometimes failing, but it seems Smith has already begun to try to find the ‘meaning and the good in this’
The If the Boot Fits singer shared a Facebook post after River’s death saying that he and Amber ‘made the decision to say our last goodbyes and donate his organs so that other children will be given a second chance at life’.
He wrote: ‘Our family is devastated and heartbroken, but we take solace in knowing he 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.’