Our third son, Jordan, is a very remarkable young man.  At the age of eleven, he was forced to face the unimaginable, the deaths of his two older brothers, Drew and Jeremiah.  From that tragic day forward, Jordan was the glue that held our family together.  He not only lost his two brothers, but he lost both of his parents to some degree that fateful day in July of 1992.  The parents he knew were now just a shell of their former selves.

     As the days, months and years have gone by since the deaths of Drew and Jeremiah, our family of three has had to rebuild.  Gone were the days of loud, boisterous “fights” between the brothers.  Silence and tears filled our lonely house.  Gradually, we were able to start functioning again.  Jordan was the first to verbally express his feelings.  He knew where the boys were, and he knew he would be with them again.  His confidence and faith spilled over to Luther and myself.  His presence gave us a reason to go on.

     Being an only child was not what Jordan had envisioned for his life growing up in our family of five.  As I look back, I see it must have seemed an awesome responsibility to an eleven year old.  Who would Jordan have to fill the void left by the loss of his brothers?  Friends rallied around him and smoothed those first few months and years.  With time, Jordan has matured into a young man with insights few adults possess.  Has our tragic loss affected him?  Of course it has.  It has altered the future he expected with two siblings to share all those special family times when their parents have passed on.

Jordan Smith & Tobey Viger, granddaughter of Cindy Bullens	Jordan Smith, Hawaii, November 2010
Jordan's dog Lennon on University of Kentucky's opening day of football 2010.	Jordan's Christmas card 2007
Jordan and Lennon, Hilton Head 2008	Lennon, October 2009
Luther and Jordan, Maui Classic, November 2010	Rosemary and Jordan, Maui Classic, November 2010
UK Fan Jordan Smith at the Maui Classic, November 2010	Luther, Rosemary and Jordan at the Pearl Harbor Memorial, November 2010
UK fans, Luther and Jordan Smith at the Music City Bowl, Nashville, TN.	Jordan Smith, October 2010, Groomsman at his best friend Stephen Lauer's wedding
Stephen and Jordan at Stephen's wedding October 2010	Luther, Jordan and Rosemary Smith at Stephen Lauer's wedding, October 2010
Jordan's birthday, July 15, 2009, Charleston, SC	Lennon & Hootie, Jordan's Birthday, July 15, 2009
Angel dogs Hootie and Hayley, who both passed in June of 2011.
Jordan Smith - October, 1985 (Age 4)	Jordan Smith (Age 6)
Jordan Smith - July, 1990 (Age 9)	Jordan Smith - July, 1996 (Age 15)
Jordan Smith (Age 15)	Jordan's school picture - The McCallie School (Junior Year)
Jordan and our precious dog, Hootie - December 1997	Jordan at McCallie graduation with friends Mike Sarette and Sean Huver
Jordan at McCallie graduation with his parents, Luther and Rosemary Smith	Jordan at McCallie graduation with his Uncle Gary and Aunt Karen