By Michaela Gordoni
Country crooner Conner Smith made his first performance since experiencing a tragic car crash last month that left an elderly woman dead.
“I’ve found in the darkest of moments, the Lord is so much closer than ever before. He was better than I could ever imagine every step of the way,” Smith said on the Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville. “He was kinder than I could ever imagine. He was more of a defender than I could ever imagine in my heart.”
Smith cancelled multiple performances over the last couple of months while he grieved and reflected.
“The moment tragedy came, I knew that my heart had no way to process it,” Smith wrote on a Substack blog. “Surrounded by an incredible community, my wife, family, friends, pastors, for the first 30 days, I stayed isolated from the world. I spent most of my time with friends who had stopped by the house, or just me and Jesus.”
In early June, Smith was driving his pickup when he accidentally hit 77-year-old Dorothy Dobbins when she was crossing the road. Smith was cited a Class A misdemeanor for failure to yield to the right of way, ABC News reported.
“After Dobbins was struck, witnesses reported Smith ran to her to render aid until [Nashville Fire Department] paramedics arrived,” a Nashville police press release said. “Dobbins was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she died. Officers found no evidence of impairment or distracted driving on the part of Smith.”
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“I turned off my phone, and the world, and simply guarded my mind, processing the pain with the people around me,” Smith continued in his blog. “Out of respect for everyone involved and to give space for grieving, I made the decision to step away from shows these past few weeks. I have always found that making music and playing shows is a place of healing for me – but for this moment, it was important for me to take time away.”
Steven Curtis Chapman introduced Smith to the Grand Ole Opry stage. Smith performed a new song called “Songs of David.” He calls it a “version of a prayer” that he wrote over the last two months.
“Not a day has gone by that I haven’t grieved, prayed, and mourned for Ms. Dobbins and her family,” Smith previously wrote on social media. “I still struggle to fully process the weight of it all.”
“This is a heartbreaking and entirely preventable tragedy that has deeply impacted our community,” said attorney Laura Baker, whose firm represents Dobbins’ family. “We are committed to seeking accountability on behalf of Dot’s loved ones and honoring Dot’s memory by raising awareness about the critical importance of pedestrian safety in our neighborhoods.”
Please keep Smith and Dobbins’ family in prayer as they grieve and heal from this incident.
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