Meet Faith Smith

Faith Elizabeth Smith, 11, was a proud student of the Sugar Valley Rural Charter School, where she had just completed sixth grade and made the High Honor Roll.  A member of her church’s youth group, she played the clarinet and various percussion instruments in her school’s band.  Faith loved the outdoors; whether hunting and fishing, or kayaking with her parents, she was a true country girl, with bright blue eyes, and perfect freckles speckled across a cute little nose that crinkled when she smiled.  She was a massive fangirl of the pop group “Backstreet Boys” and over the past year received two video chats from members Nick Carter and A.J. McLean.  In June she got to meet the entire band backstage at a concert in New York. Faith beamed from ear to ear as she got to meet her crush, Nick, and said it was her best day ever.  Faith played defense on the Sugar Valley AYSO soccer team, was competitive and loved the challenge of the game.  She enjoyed playing video games with her brothers, Billy and Noah, and watching YouTube videos. 

Surrounded by her family at her home on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, Faith left earth and met Jesus face to face after a courageously fought 11-month battle with DMG/DIPG brain cancer.  Her brothers will miss her very much, especially her picking on them, and hearing her trademark giggle when they joked around.  Faith will be remembered as a social butterfly with a heart of gold, always smiling, and always happy.  She was fierce, powerful, and full of determination prior to her diagnosis, and when she learned she had cancer, she faced it head on and fought a hard battle, with an attitude way beyond her 11 years.  Her final wishes will carry on her mission of spreading love and hope, since she chose to donate her brain, the tumor, and her spine to research, and her corneas to help people see.