Following a fall he suffered on New Year's Eve, Sonny Smart, father of the University of Georgia (UGA) football head coach Kirby Smart, passed away on Saturday, January 4, surrounded by his family. Sonny had to undergo an emergency hip surgery but, unfortunately, complications made it impossible for him to recover.
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The news of Sonny Smart's passing was shared by UGA via a statement in which they went into detail regarding Sonny's accident. According to them, Sonny Smart fell while walking in New Orleans on New Year's Eve. He suffered a fractured hip as a result. As a result, he was quickly hospitalized and underwent hip surgery. Unfortunately, complications led to his death on January 4, at 12:15 a.m.
"The Smart family expresses their heartfelt gratitude to the Ochsner hospital and medical staff for the exceptional care provided to Sonny," the UGA statement reads. "Additionally, they ask for your continued prayers for those affected by the tragic events that occurred in the early hours of New Year's Day," The statement refers to the terrorist attack in which a driver ran over a multitude of people in New Orleans, killing 15 with his pickup truck.
"The Smart family treasures everyone's thoughts and prayers and now prays for God's comfort, strength, and guidance," the statement concludes.
Remembering Sonny Smart
Kirby Smart, Sonny's son, and UGA head coach, has spoken highly of his father for years. During a 2023 interview at the CFP National Championship, he regrettably announced his father was unable to join him due to health issues. He then dedicated his time to praise his dad, speaking lovingly about him.
"He's a really special man to me," Kirby Smart said at the time. "Unfortunately, he's not going to be able to make it to the game. He's had some medical stuff. It hurts me that he and my mom won't be here. But I know it's the right decision for him."
Kirby then spoke about how difficult is to see one's parents grow old, calling it "tough" and "inevitable."
"But he's taught me so much just about the way you handle things, the right way, the wrong way. Control the controllables. The moment's never too big if you're prepared," Kirby continued. "He was a very wise man, a man of few words. I tried to follow his mantra as a coach. I've certainly evolved from going to coach for other people, but a lot of my core beliefs came from the way he ran our programs in high school."
Kirby Smart followed his father's footsteps as Sonny Smart was also a football coach. He coached high school football teams at Bainbridge High School and Rabun County High School, according to FOX 5.
