Franklin Graham Calls on Followers to Pray for Slain NFL Player Will Smith's Family
Leading evangelist Franklin Graham is calling on Christians to pray for the family of former New Orleans Saints Pro-Bowl defensive end Will Smith, who was shot and killed during a road rage incident last Saturday night.
Police say that the 34-year-old Smith, who played from 2004-2012 with the Saints and was a vital part of their 2009 Super Bowl victory, was rear-ended in his car while driving in New Orleans' Lower Garden District which caused his vehicle to hit the car in front of him.
Smith reportedly "exchanged words" with the man driving the car that slammed into his, identified as Cardell Hayes.
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During the exchange, police report that Hayes allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot Smith several times. Hayes did not flee from the scene and was later arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Smith's wife was also shot in the exchange and was taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Graham, the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse humanitarian organization, took to Facebook Monday morning to express his sorrow.
"Former NFL New Orleans Saints player Will Smith's life came to a sudden and tragic end this weekend. I didn't know him personally, but he was a very talented young man and will be greatly missed," Graham wrote.
Graham, who is followed on Facebook by over 3.5 million people and is a frequent commenter on current events, encouraged his followers to keep the Smith family in their prayers.
"Pray for his wife, who was also wounded by the shooter, and for his children and his family that God would comfort them," Graham stated. "We never know when our lives might come to a sudden end, but we know that life will come to an end one day for all of us. The most important thing is to be ready to stand before God."
"You can have the assurance today that all is well with your soul," he continued. "Simply put your faith and trust in God's Son, Jesus Christ, as your Savior and the Lord of your life. He will be with you through whatever storms come your way — and you'll be ready for eternity."
Smith's death comes as a shock to not only his family but also his former Saints teammates. Saints quarterback Drew Brees also called on his fans and followers to pray for Smith's family.
"Mourning the loss of a great friend and teammate, Will Smith. Such a senseless tragedy," Brees wrote in a post on Twitter. "Please pray for Racquel and their children."
Jermon Bushrod, a former Saints offensive lineman, also took to Twitter to voice his anger.
"No one should have to go out like that," Bushrod wrote. "Senseless dumbass violence has to stop. You work hard and help the community and go out like this?"
In an interview with MMQB.com's Peter King, Brees called Smith the "cornerstone" of the Saints franchise.
"I always thought there was nothing more I'd ever want from a teammate than what Will brought every day," Brees said. "He really was the cornerstone of our team. Will could always reference what it was like before we got there. His wisdom was so welcome. Not a rah-rah guy, but a guy you'd rely on every day. I would engage him, and he'd smile, and he would always be like, 'We're in this together.'"
But now, when Brees, Bushrod and the rest of the 2009 New Orleans Saints reunite to relive their Super Bowl glory, Smith will be missing.
"We'll all gather back in New Orleans 10 years after winning the Super Bowl, 20 years, 50 years, to celebrate what a great thing it was for our team and for our city," Brees said. "And we'll be together, but something will be missing. … No Will."
