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On 17th April 2023, the?NFL?world was shocked by the sudden passing away of former player Chris Smith. He was just 31. Through the eight seasons of his NFL career, Smith played for Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and Houston Texans. He drew the curtains to his career while playing for the Texans in 2021. Over the years, through his happy-go-lucky nature and positive attitude, Smith had touched the hearts of many. Naturally, his fans and loved ones were devastated when the news of his untimely demise broke out.

Soon after the news went viral, the NFL world mourned the loss of the player. Friends and fans took to their social media to send their condolences. Among his million mourners was Olympic gymnast?Simone Biles’s?fiance,?Jonathan Owens.

Jonathan Owens bids farewell to former Texans player

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Chris Smith’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed the?news of the unfortunate tragedy. Rosenhaus took to his Twitter to express his condolences to Smith’s family, friends, and loved ones. Addressing the late player in his message, Rosenhaus wrote that he’ll be missed. Though confirming the news, he did not reveal what caused the sudden death of the player.

via Imago

Earlier today, as the NFL world mourned the loss, Houston Texans’ Jonathan Owens shared a video of Chris Smith on his Instagram. In the video, a very excited Smith could be heard saying,?“Love what you do and do what you love.”?It was the philosophy Chris Smith lived by. Adding a?two-word condolence message in the caption, Owens wrote,?“RIP BRO??.”

Read More: ?Mini Moon First?: Jonathan Owens? NFL Plans Delay Simone Biles? Childhood Honeymoon Dream

Chris Smith is survived by his three children, two sons, and a daughter. Additionally, what makes the loss even more heartbreaking is that the mother of his four-year daughter passed away four years ago in a tragic accident. With Smith’s demise, the little girl has now lost both her parents.

Chris Smith lost his girlfriend in 2019

On a fateful night in September 2019, a tire of Smith’s Mercedes burst when the player was driving on a highway. This left him with no choice but to pull over on the sides of the fast-track road. At the time, Smith was with his girlfriend, who had given birth to their daughter just a month back.

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As Smith’s girlfriend, Petara Cordero, was exiting the car from her passenger seat, a fast-moving vehicle hit her. After being rushed to the nearest hospital, Cordero was pronounced dead on September 12, 2019, in Cleveland. Over the years, Smith took care of their daughter and mourned the loss of Cordero.

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Read More: Top-10 Moments of Olympic Sporting Spirit

Throughout his life, Smith believed in looking at the positive side of everything. As the NFL world mourns the loss of Chris Smith, we send our deepest condolences to his family and friends amid the loss of their loved one.