Tyrone Lamont Smith

Tyrone was born 35years ago with a learning disability, autism, cleft lip, cleft palate, and end stage renal disease. He was placed in our home as a foster child at 9 months of age. We immediately began working with him as he had corrective surgeries, as well as two kidney transplants over the next 13 years. He never gave up the entire time. He fought to maintain his health and attend school in between hospital stays, and as a result, he graduated high school in 2007. The 13 years that followed were good years for him, until his health recently started to fail. He was hospitalized, and after almost two months, he succumbed to his illness.
All throughout the years, Tyrone remained the sweet, spiritual, caring, and loving person he was. He taught us that no matter what your situation, you can strive and rise above it. He was the magnet that pulled us all in to work together to ensure that he would have a better quality of life, and the return was enormous. He brought us so much joy and happiness over the years and showed us true grace undefined. We now know that he was an angel amongst us, and he will truly be missed.