Dear Editor,
The following is letter of appreciation and a tribute to my husband, Jeremy Smith, 1980-2012.
Thankful to communities and offers tribute to late husband
I became Mrs. Jeremy Smith on May 20, 2007 and moved to the foreign community of Snipesville, which after meeting all of Jeremy’s family, I thought should have been named “Smithville.”
Jeremy and I settled down to a life of leaving for work early in the mornings and getting home to supper and getting ready for the next morning—the same as other families. Jeremy was a hard worker and he never failed, even later when he was sick, to go to his job. When he was not working at Watco, he could usually be found working in the yards or improving things around the house.
In September 2008, God blessed us with a little 2-1/2 pound son, Ree, and though there were some hurdles to get over in having a premature baby, Jeremy couldn’t have been prouder. He was a good father; devoting time and love to his daughter, Reeanna, my son, Gage, and our son, Ree. We were a busy and happy family. Little did we realize that there was a storm coming into our lives that would change us forever.
In early October 2010, Jeremy began having headaches and on the afternoon of October 26th, I was at work, and his daddy Billy carried Jeremy to the ER in Douglas with a bad headache. A scan showed a mass on his brain, which looked suspiciously malignant. He was transferred to Memorial Hospital in Savannah. Further tests there confirmed cancer of the brain. The doctor gave Jeremy 4 to 6 months to live.
But Jeremy would not accept this verdict, because he was a fighter and he was not going to lie down and let cancer take him away from those he loved. And so we went to war with our enemy, cancer. And there was never a braver soldier or one who fought harder, or more courageously than Jeremy. From traveling to Savannah, Duke, Douglas and Waycross with chemo after chemo treatment, radiation, and dose after dose of steroids, Jeremy fought on. For two long years he battled his enemy – only to lose the fight last Monday evening.
But Jeremy didn’t really lose. Because in his fight he set examples for me and our children that I hope will guide us through life and make us strong in adversity, just like Jeremy.
He taught us faith to believe that even when the odds are stacked against you, you don’t let it kill your spirit. Jeremy never once accepted that he was not going to get well. He never spoke of defeat.
And Jeremy taught us endurance. And, oh, how he did endure. Though so sick it seemed impossible to get out of bed, he would get up each morning, get dressed and go outside to do some kind of work, from tinkering on his Mustang with his brothers to going fishing or hunting with his daddy, Billy. Those who saw his ravaged body were amazed at how Jeremy could possibly keep going. But I knew. It was because our Jeremy was a fighter and he would never give up.
Jeremy taught us many good things during his illness, but perhaps the greatest thing I, as his wife, learned during this time was the Goodness of God. I learned to trust Him to supply all our needs, whether it was to give us strength for the hour or the next day, or to meet a financial obligation that allowed me to take leave from my job and be at Jeremy’s side until the end, God always provided.
Thank you Mt. Pleasant, Macedonia, Union Springs Churches, and every person that God used to bless us. Thank you, family and friends of Jeff Davis and Appling Counties who supported us all the way.
If Jeremy could speak today he would join me in saying, “We love you all.”
By his loving wife,
Staci Nail Smith
Jeremy and I settled down to a life of leaving for work early in the mornings and getting home to supper and getting ready for the next morning—the same as other families. Jeremy was a hard worker and he never failed, even later when he was sick, to go to his job. When he was not working at Watco, he could usually be found working in the yards or improving things around the house.
In September 2008, God blessed us with a little 2-1/2 pound son, Ree, and though there were some hurdles to get over in having a premature baby, Jeremy couldn’t have been prouder. He was a good father; devoting time and love to his daughter, Reeanna, my son, Gage, and our son, Ree. We were a busy and happy family. Little did we realize that there was a storm coming into our lives that would change us forever.
In early October 2010, Jeremy began having headaches and on the afternoon of October 26th, I was at work, and his daddy Billy carried Jeremy to the ER in Douglas with a bad headache. A scan showed a mass on his brain, which looked suspiciously malignant. He was transferred to Memorial Hospital in Savannah. Further tests there confirmed cancer of the brain. The doctor gave Jeremy 4 to 6 months to live.
But Jeremy would not accept this verdict, because he was a fighter and he was not going to lie down and let cancer take him away from those he loved. And so we went to war with our enemy, cancer. And there was never a braver soldier or one who fought harder, or more courageously than Jeremy. From traveling to Savannah, Duke, Douglas and Waycross with chemo after chemo treatment, radiation, and dose after dose of steroids, Jeremy fought on. For two long years he battled his enemy – only to lose the fight last Monday evening.
But Jeremy didn’t really lose. Because in his fight he set examples for me and our children that I hope will guide us through life and make us strong in adversity, just like Jeremy.
He taught us faith to believe that even when the odds are stacked against you, you don’t let it kill your spirit. Jeremy never once accepted that he was not going to get well. He never spoke of defeat.
And Jeremy taught us endurance. And, oh, how he did endure. Though so sick it seemed impossible to get out of bed, he would get up each morning, get dressed and go outside to do some kind of work, from tinkering on his Mustang with his brothers to going fishing or hunting with his daddy, Billy. Those who saw his ravaged body were amazed at how Jeremy could possibly keep going. But I knew. It was because our Jeremy was a fighter and he would never give up.
Jeremy taught us many good things during his illness, but perhaps the greatest thing I, as his wife, learned during this time was the Goodness of God. I learned to trust Him to supply all our needs, whether it was to give us strength for the hour or the next day, or to meet a financial obligation that allowed me to take leave from my job and be at Jeremy’s side until the end, God always provided.
Thank you Mt. Pleasant, Macedonia, Union Springs Churches, and every person that God used to bless us. Thank you, family and friends of Jeff Davis and Appling Counties who supported us all the way.
If Jeremy could speak today he would join me in saying, “We love you all.”
By his loving wife,
Staci Nail Smith
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