The league recalls Alex Smith as a symbol of unwavering strength and determination. In a harrowing chapter of his life, the former quarterback came close to staring death in the face. It all began with an injury inflicted during a game against the Houston Texans in 2018, a fracture so severe that the bone pierced through his skin.

What followed was a grueling nine-month ordeal that saw Smith endure 17 surgeries. Many believed this might put an end to his gridiron dreams, but in a remarkable display of resilience, he returned to the field in 2020, earning the coveted title of Comeback Player of the Year. His journey is a powerful reminder of what it means to rise from the ashes. However, none of those battles prepared the QB for the trials that lay ahead.

When life took unexpected turns for the QB

In a candid interview with The New York Times, Smith recounted the moment life took an unexpected turn for his family. His seven-year-old daughter, Sloane Smith, began exhibiting alarming symptoms on a night in May last year: she couldn’t use her right arm, and her speech was slurred. The frantic trip to the emergency room revealed a heart-wrenching truth — a massive tumor had taken root in Sloane’s brain, necessitating immediate surgery.

Alex Smith, who had never known fear even on the brink of death, found himself in an entirely different place. He shared, “It’s different when it’s your little girl, and you’re helpless with how terrifying that is.”

The doctors couldn’t fully remove the malignant tumor discovered in Sloane’s brain in the first surgery. A second surgery, lasting a grueling 10 hours, became necessary earlier this year to finally eliminate the tumor.

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As the Smith family continues to navigate this incredibly challenging ordeal, they describe their lives as living ‘scan to scan,’ constantly monitoring Sloane’s prognosis. This ordeal took a toll on the seven-year-old, who also suffered two seizures following her surgeries.

An arduous path ahead

The family’s journey has been far from easy, and Alex Smith finds himself frequently lost in the labyrinth of his thoughts. He acknowledges that it’s a unique and heart-wrenching experience when your own child suffers in this way.

However, young Sloane herself has displayed immense courage in this battle. Smith shared on Instagram, “She has healed from surgery. Back to her bubbly self. Singing, dancing, laughing, and feeling good”.

The path ahead may be as challenging as anything Smith has endured in his life, but as the family stands united, they hold onto the belief that the light will eventually shine at the end of the arduous tunnel.

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