Amber Smith is revealing the painful messages she still receives on social media three years after losing her son in a tragic drowning accident. He was 3 years old.

Amber and her husband, country artist and After MidNite host Granger Smith, lost their son, River Kelly Smith, in June 2019. Granger confirmed the “unthinkable news,” explaining that River couldn’t be revived. It was later confirmed that River died by drowning at the family’s home. Granger emotionally shared at the time: “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.”

Since losing their son, however, the Smith family has received some “hurtful” comments from social media users. Amber shared one on her Instagram story on Tuesday (July 5). The screenshot shows that Amber wrote on Instagram: “All of us mamas who know this pain have been praying so hard for your family. We are all rallying around you and are here for you. Light will come from the dark. He is working. Bless you for blessing others in your deepest hurt. Sending all our love.” A social media user replied:

“[Amber Smith] this makes me soooooo mad! Why would you be such irresponsible parents?!? Teach babies to swim, fence the pool, PROTECT your children! This is your fault, you KILLED your win [sic] kid. Truly disgusting.”

Amber shared a screenshot of the comment with a reference to a Bible verse, James 3:6. She wrote: “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” She added, along with the verse, that she “can’t fault these people. We live in a fallen world. It’s taken me 3 years to not let these comments hurt me, but I forgive them. I am rooted in Jesus.”

It’s not the first time the Smiths have received “hurtful” comments on social media, blaming them for losing their son. Amber previously opened up in August 2021: “I never like to give these people more attention than they deserve, but it's a reminder that we live in a dark world, where people judge one another, and say the most hurtful, cruel things.”

The Smiths welcomed their son, Maverick Beckham Smith, in August of 2021, selecting the name to honor River. They enrolled Maverick in Infant Swim Rescue (ISR) lessons, and have shared his progress. Earlier this year, Granger announced that Maverick “knows how to hold his breath, twist his body, find the air, float on his back and cry. …He’s a warrior and doesn’t even realize it.”

Denise Plante