In a recent emotional interview with The New York Times, former NFL quarterback, Alex Smith, poured his heart out about the agonizing journey his family has undertaken since his 7-year-old daughter Sloane was diagnosed with a rare malignant brain tumor.
The emotions ran deep as Smith spoke candidly about the helplessness he felt as a father in the face of such a terrifying ordeal.
“It’s different when it’s your little girl, and you’re helpless with how terrifying that is,” Smith said recalling his child confronted with a life-threatening condition. “The words ‘brain tumor’ are terrifying.”
Source: Alex Smith’s wife, Elizabeth Smith’s Instagram Account
The harrowing saga began in May 2022 when Sloane was rushed to the emergency room exhibiting symptoms akin to a stroke.
A subsequent MRI sent shockwaves through the Smith family as it unveiled the presence of a sizable brain tumor, necessitating immediate action.
Sloane underwent a grueling emergency craniotomy, a complex surgical procedure.
Smith described this moment as “the most excruciating time of their lives.”
Alex Smith first shared about his daughter’s medical emergency on Instagram last June.
“On May 10th, Sloane was rushed to the ER with stroke-like symptoms,” Smith recounted in the post. “She had an MRI, and the doctors quickly informed us she had a large brain tumor and needed an emergency craniotomy.”
“The 10-hour procedure was the most excruciating time of our lives. A clock has never moved so slowly. The incredible neurosurgeons did a miraculous job and were able to remove 100% of the tumor.”
In the wake of the initial surgery, however, the Smiths received disheartening news.
Despite the efforts of the medical team, a portion of the tumor remained, compelling the family to face a second surgical intervention.
“We found out last fall that essentially they had missed a piece, that there was a little piece in there left over,” Smith disclosed to The New York Times, emphasizing the challenges his family continues to confront.
But for the Smiths, the ordeal is far from over.
Living “scan to scan” has become their new norm, their lives governed by the trajectory of Sloane’s illness.
“This is something that I don’t know where the end is,” shared Alex Smith’s wife, Elizabeth. “We don’t know because of the rarity of her tumor, when it will pop its head back, if it will pop its head back.”
Despite having officially retired from professional football in 2021, Alex Smith now channels his energy into two key pursuits- dedicating his time to both his family and the cause of raising funds for pediatric brain tumors and cancer.
