Granger Smith, Wife Amber Raise Over $16K In Honor Of Late Son's Birthday

Granger Smith and his wife Amber are honoring their late son River on what would have been his fourth birthday in a special way. Over the weekend, Amber turned to social media to remember her son and encourage followers to donate to the River Kelly Fund or perform three acts of kindness.

"My earthly plan would be to be wake up my little man today with kisses and sing happy birthday to him. God had other plans," she captioned a series of photos of River. "He gave us 3 incredible years with Riv. We got 3 years of dancing, laughing, playing in the dirt, going fast, riding tractors, & playing cars. 3 years of celebrations, birthdays, wildflower picking, & the biggest, tightest hugs and kisses."

"I’m not going to fool myself into saying how old Riv would be today. He was on this earth for 3 precious years. God knew his time on earth and knew when he would go back Home," she continues. "But today, we celebrate his birth. We celebrate his sweet, playful, curious spirit. We celebrate his life and all he taught us during his time with us. I’m grateful to have been blessed to be his mama. He’s taught me more than anyone will ever know about love and loss, and life, hope and pain and joy and growth."

Since River's accident, the family has kept his spirit alive through the River Kelly Fund. The organization supports charities and causes that are close to the family's heart, including arts and education, wildlife preservation, first responders and more. On Saturday (May 16) the family asked followers and fans to honor River by either doing three acts of kindness or donating $3 to the River Kelly Fund. Amber revealed that over $16,000 has been given by fans on River's birthday.

"May we all find joy in life’s simple gifts. May we all dig in the dirt and run around barefoot. May we all go outside and 'see the pretty day' like he used to love to do. May we all know that Jesus is our friend (Riv told me that)," her post continues. "Happy birthday in heaven sweet boy. We miss you every second, but we know God has a plan and He will bring light in the dark. We can’t wait to see you again little man."

Photo: Getty Images