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Smot Tales last updated 4/13/2001 Below are some of the stories that we have received about (or for) David. These tales of adventure, wit, and general foolishness are helping us know David better and focus on the person that we are helping to come back to us all. Thank you for your stories. We retain the right to do some editing on your tales - not all of David's exploits are necessarily appropriate for a general audience. Please send any additional stories you might have to Jay. If you would like your name added or removed from the stories (or if you do not want the story shared) please let me know. We have also received a great number of stories about other families, other injuries, or even how many of you have been touched by David's accident. These stories have helped us tremendously, so we thought we would share them. Click here to read the Inspirational Stories.
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Memories Reading some of the stories of Smot's outing at the restaurant shows me his personality is breaking through and reminded me of other stories. Every time we'd go out he'd go up to the hottest girls in the bar and say "It's that guy's birthday" and point at me. They were like "That's so nice of you" to him and he was off and rolling. Smot used to call the room next to ours, and ask for the one guy that lived there - over and over and over until that guy came in to tackle him. In college he'd wear your favorite tie and try to spill on it to annoy you. When we'd play darts he'd look at you or away from the board and then throw a bullseye. Auugh ! He never studied but had a 3.3. Even the name of his company, Spartan Industries, refers to us living as 'spartans' - no frills. Somebody told me the story that Smot went to a coat and tie Super Bowl party and everybody was kissing up to Joe Montana, Hall of Fame quarterback. Montana was wearing a turtleneck and when Smot was introduced he said "Buddy, where's your tie ?" He deserved the self-claimed nickname, "The Kid". At the same time, Smot was the only guy waiting for you at the end of a black diamond run to make sure you were ok or the first one to congratulate you on a goal. I'm looking forward to hanging out with Smot again in any capacity. -- Mark Guthrie (Denison Friend) PB&J My dad, the distinguished (not for his jokes) perfesser Nathaniel Abraham Jobe and my mom, Wistie, were visiting me and my family this weekend down at our home in the low country. We spent considerable time reminiscing about my childhood with David, and since he has had trouble digesting food lately thought you'd find it interesting the observations that were made regarding David's diet as a young, rising Nerf-hoops star. Dad remembered a time when David came to visit me at the cabin near Lexington, Va, and we all went out to a Chinese Restaurant. David was not too pleased by the selections on the menu (it didn't include Peanutbutter and Jelly sandwich, for example), but he ordered (Moo-Goo-Gai pan, I think) and then asked for a knife and fork because he said he had a hard time with the "Pork Chops" (chop sticks). We remembered how much David loved PBJ sandwiches, once told me that I made my scrambled eggs too runny, put spoonfuls of sugar on his Frosted Flakes. Some suggestions for his new diet! Put a PBJ in front of him and he'll eat, but leave out the "Pork Chops"! --Peyton Jobe (Childhood and WFS Friend) Romancin' in the ICU I was finally able to make it to SF to see Dave and I wanted to tell you about it. (I am sure what I am telling you isn't new but I really wanted to share how much hope and confidence I had after seeing him!) We arrived at about 7:45pm and unfortunately your parents had already left but a great nurse, Debby was there and said it would be ok to see him. I was with my friend Carolyn who lives in SF and has visited Dave on several occasions so she was a good frame of reference to understand how far he has come. It was my first visit to an ICU and to see Dave, so I was filled with all kinds of emotions ( which I am sure you understand) I have to admit that mostly I was scared to death to see my blue-eyed friend that I care so much about -I walked into the the room and Dave immediately turned and gave me a smile and looked directly at me with those amazing blue eyes, I realized I had nothing to be afraid of he is still my Dave and is in that hospital fighting the biggest fight of his life. I talked to Dave for awhile and he kept eye contact with me the whole time. Carolyn was also in the room and was looking at pictures of Dave's friends. She held up a picture and asked me if I knew the person in the picture and I told her I thought it was Brian O'Callaghan. I then asked Dave if it was and he put up his hand as to gesture yes. Dave was very active fidgeting with his blanket so I tucked it around his neck and Dave grabbed my hand and held on to it for a while and I just sat silently with him and an overwhelming feeling of relief came over me and I knew at that moment that without a doubt that he will be OK. But the best part of my visit and the part I really wanted to share with you was when we said our good-byes: As we were leaving I leaned down to give Dave a kiss on the cheek and he turned his head to meet my lips and he gave me a little smile. I then walked to the end of the bed while Carolyn said good bye, he was looking at me and still had a that little smile on his face so I couldn't resist but to walk over and give him one more little kiss on the cheek. As I walked out of the room I looked back at him and he put up his finger which we all interpreted as one, he was asking for one more kiss! -Now that is definitely the Dave we all know and love! --Jenny Higgins (San Francisco Friend) The Old "Go Get a Round of Drinks" Trick I've known Smot from both the "Denny-Dew" crowd in San Francisco and from his many dear friends from "The Mecca" aka Richmond, VA. During that time, I've gotten a very good idea of how strong his rap is. A couple years ago, I was dating a very beautiful girl (that I admittedly had no right to be with) and introduced her to Smot at a wedding we were attending (go figure). I made the unfortunate mistake of leaving those two to chat while I went to grab a fresh round of cocktails. Before I was halfway back across the room, I could see that Smot had worked her into a smile that didn't leave her face all night (go figure). Now this girl never asked me about other guys, but the next day, after having met about 150 people, the only person she specifically asked about was "that funny guy named Smot." Well Smot, I regret to inform you that she is now available. I never, ever thought I would say something like this but please, please call me and I'll give you her number. I don't think we've ever said two kind words in a row to each other (without five good ribbing exhanges in between) but you're still a smart-ass and stay away from my women!!...I mean, seriously, you're an awesome guy and my thoughts and prayers are with you to be back on your feet, slaying them/charming them/wooing them/working it again soon. --Joe Caccamo (friend from SF and Richmond) East Coast Skier I met Dave while he was living in Aspen and, with everyone, was immediatley swept up in his charm and endless humor! Not being the best skier around he still would tackle the hardest slopes, brag about his racing "technique" down the blacks and of course...look like the cutest damn skier at the apres-ski! -- Leslie Lucas (Aspen Friend) The Fighter Stu Sanderson and myself had a great trip out to see Dave. The first day we saw him, Friday 16, he was just out of his cat scan and a bit loopy from the Adavan. I thought he recognized me yet it was a look of "what are you doing here". He was real active and I could tell he was frustrated with being in bed so long. The Sunday we left we stopped in again and I was blown away. He really seemed to recognize me and I tried to get him to say Ragu, thats what they called me in college, yet that seemed to deep into his memory banks for now. The amazing thing is that he is trying so hard to form words already. Your Dad thought Dave's back was hurting so he began to rub it for him. After a few minutes doing that Dave swept your Dad's hand away and said "get away". It wasn't exactly clear yet we both new what he meant. Your Pop looked at me and I told him, "you heard him, get away". A thrilling moment for your Dad and intense for me. He is a fighter and after seeing him I know he is on his way to a complete recovery. Hang in there, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. -- Ray Scacchetti The Football Pool We are Tommy Crum's parents - Cathy and Tom Crum, from Aspen, Colorado.We've met Dave several years ago, and we also interacted with Dave over the past couple years via the famous Football Pool, where Dave the "S-Man" edged out "Ma/Pa Crum" for the $430 third place finish. (That's OK - we expect to win it all back from him next season!) Today was the first time we logged onto your website, and when we did, all our other to-do's for the day were forgotten. For an hour and a half we sat at the computer, laughing and crying - not out of sadness, but rather out of inspiration. The writing is done so consciously and clearly that it reads like a novel that you cannot put down. Thank you for giving us all this gift. --Ma/Pa Crum (Parents of Denison Friend) Dave's Influence I would not consider myself to be overly spiritual. However, over the past few weeks I have prayed and soul searched more than I have in my entire 33 years. As I landed at SFO I was unsure about how to "feel" and "act" and "be" around Smot. My first visit was "solid" as he would say, and each subsequent visit increased "my" energy level and raised "my" spirit. Dave did that. He is absolutely amazing. His crystal blues eyes have never seemed so clear and they speak volumes each day. He is saying "Yes, I'm here! I'm here and I am fighting, and I'm going to win - - like I always do!." The energy this past weekend in the waiting room from his wonderful parents, relatives and friends is a true indication of the incredible strength of the power of the prayers and hopes of many. I do not want to overstep my bounds here, so take this for what it's worth coming from a software salesman and ex-"Pizza Guy". Dave is making his way back. Not half way or partially. ALL THE WAY back. My gut and my soul firmly believes this after being with him on four brief visits. To reiterate Jack Barber's sentiment, "I was completely "jacked" after my trips to the ICU!" I was so excited Sunday night that I got fewer than 2 hours of sleep. Dave exudes the energy and positivity our thoughts and prayers have bestowed upon him. Keep it up....Dave obviously is progressing. We know the road is long and will be difficult, but the power you (Johanna & Bob) are harnessing seems to be an undeniable force. All of our love and prayers, Happy Valentine's Day To the Smethurst Family & Friends: Over the past month I have started to write to you more than once to tell you a funny story about Dave (a name I so very rarely use - more often it is "Sally", "Smotty", "Jerky Boy" or some other affectionate term), to take the opportunity to heckle him without him heckling me back (and being better at it ~ damn it) and to basically tell you how this one person has not only affected my life but so many of those around him. For some reason I could never decide on the approach or tone I might take in my email until today. This may be a bit long so feel free to tune out now but I think the bottom of this is worth reading! I was fortunate enough to meet Dave (referred to as "Sally" for the duration of this email) during my first few weeks of moving to San Francisco back in September of '92. Coming from a large family (of mostly boys) I was not immune to harassment and heckling and I (so I believed) learned to throw the sarcasm back pretty well over the years. However, no matter how funny I thought I was being, Sally always stopped me in my tracks - he continually out joked me 99.9999999% of the time (can't quite give up 100% to him, even now!) and I was even grateful for it. He has the ability to put a smile on your face even when you don't want to give him the satisfaction. Like most of you, I have stayed as up to date with his website as humanly possible (while still maintaining a job) and get to the hospital every opportunity I can and can attest to all the great things said about this friend of ours who has been through an incredibly rough month and is still surprising us every step of the way. I generally don't get out of work before 6 or 6:30 at night and it is usually about 7 or 7:30 pm by the time I get over to San Francisco General. Each day I am greeting by the Smots (whom have become family to us all and amazed us with their strength, courage and support), and even though their eldest son, brother and brother-in-law is fighting the battle of his life, they greet me with a smile and a hug and make me feel like they are there to support ME through this battle. I no longer wonder where Sally gets his charm and charisma. No matter how tired I feel, or how bad MY day seems, after spending time with Sally, his family and friends, I come out of the hospital feeling rejuvenated by the amount of love and support surrounding our boy Sally. Last night I nearly cried with joy as I drove home after my visit! Sally not only gave me one of his classic smiles as I talked and joked with him during our visit but he also reached up and touched my face with the kindness only a parent uses on their child in a time of need. While he lies there and struggles to restore his own health, he finds the strength to reach out to us and console US and THAT is the Smotty that we all know and love!!!! I came into work today still sitting on Cloud 9 from my visit last night with my friend and received an email about the impact of friends. I am forwarding this email now as it so embodies the spirit of Dave Smethurst! He reaches out and befriends everyone he comes into contact with. I dedicate this story to you Sally!!!!! Happy Valentines Day Buddy! I love you and look forward to your full
recovery! (But won't admit I wrote this sappy email once you're back!) Your friend always,
I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. We hung all weekend and the more I got to know him, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day came, and I saw Kyle. He looked
great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high
school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more
dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous.
Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his
speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll
be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful
one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach, but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying all his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. The Young Athlete I don't know why I keep having this image of David....it is just so vivid in my memory....he is on the freshman football team..a gangly but agile youngster..the moment I saw him stretch those long arms to snag an errant football...I knew he had ability. I had watched him on the tennis courts in front of our house but I rarely saw him exert himself..I think he held back because he was a little ashamed of how really good he was...anyway...we made a tight end out of him and he had fun I hope playing football his freshman year. I remember distinctly a conversation I had with our head coach during David's junior year. I said that he had the best hands of anyone I had ever seen on the freshman level....he later proved me correct by being one of the best "stickmen" our lacrosse team has ever had. I always likened his movements in any athletic event to those of a gisele...fluid....ever so delicate....determined...and flawlessly executed.... --Robert Vasquez (Woodberry Faculty and Coach) A Valentine's Wish I started to write an electronic Valentine's card for David, but realized after previewing it that David would have accused me of completely flaking out. Anyway, after reading today's update (which is the first thing I do every morning, evening and afternoon), I want to include a Valentine's message for David. If you could read it for him I would be eternally grateful. Here goes: Happy Valentine's Day, David! I can't tell you what a huge lift it gave me to read the update first thing this a.m. and to hear that you are smiling and giving high-fives! My Spanish students here at Savannah Country Day will be so pleased - I have them all pulling hard for you, and they ask for updates on your progress practically every day. As for me, I've been pulling harder for you than I ever have even for my beloved Tar Heels (who, by the way, have risen to No. 1 in the land while you were sleeping). To put it more sincerely, I have eaten, slept, and dreamt David Smethurst since the moment that I heard of your accident and began mentally reliving our childhood and adolescense together. I have so many fond memories of all the fun we had together growing up - arming ourselves with BB guns and looking for BigFoot in the woods, camping in Goshen Pass, fishing out golf balls from the Woodberry course ponds, snow-ball battles... Sometimes you simply don't realize what certain relationships have meant to you until something goes wrong. I just want you to know how thankful I am for the friendship that we shared growing up, and how sorry I am not to be there with you today. I plan to visit you soon, but am awaiting word on your next move. Until then, I will be eagerly awaiting word of your next triumph! March madness approaches. Time to speed up the recovery, my friend! -- Peyton Jobe (Childhood and Woodberry Friend) First Date As I explained in an earlier E-mail Dave and I met when I moved into his apartment building in San Francisco dubbed "Melrose Place". I think we both developed a mutual crush immediately but since we lived in the same building we thought it was kind of weird to date. So we started to date secretly (of course that was Dave’s idea). Then the secret was out and we dated some more, then we became friends who dated, then we became friends (of course that was also Dave’s idea). Which brings me to my story: One Saturday night (after Dave and I decided to become only friends) I was in my apartment waiting for a date to come pick me up. After some time had past and no sign of my date I stepped outside to sit on the front steps and hang-out with my other neighbors. I happened to glance into Dave’s apartment and much to my surprise my date was sitting on Dave’s couch. As it turned out the poor guy, all dressed up holding a bouquet of flowers knocked on the wrong door. Instead of telling the guy he was at the wrong door Dave and his roommate Tommy, thinking they were very funny, invited him and proceed to grill him with questions; like what were his intentions, what were his plans for the future, what time he planned on bringing me home- the type of questions you would expect to get from an over protective Mafia father meeting his young daughter's prom date for the first time. I think they even asked to see his driver license! My date, thinking they were my over-protective roommates or something, was politely answering all their questions. When I finally rescued him he had beads of sweat pouring down his forehead. Needless to say the rest of my date didn’t go very well. Dave got a big laugh! Two weeks later I walked into the Bus Stop which was the bar right next to our apartments and who do I see hanging out having a beer and shootin pool- Dave and my Date! Dave's charm is simply irresistible to all! -- Jennifer Higgins (San Francisco Friend) Then We'll Know... Loved hearing about David's bright smile and the lipstick story made me laugh out loud. Do we think he's taking advantage of this massage thing? Next thing we know Mom will be pushed aside and he's only going to allow the pretty little nurses to do their thing! That's when we'll know Dave is REALLY back! -- Adair Byers The Closet I enjoyed reading the notes and anecdotes from everyone.
Although I don't really have one of Dave's New Do I got a haircut yesterday with "Sandy" who I found from Dave. She has cut Dave's hair ever since he moved to Denver. She had not heard about Dave's accident and was devastated when she learned what he's been through and what you all have been through. She had cut Dave's hair just before he left, as he was telling her about his trip to San Francisco and that he was heading out for the weekend and leaving the next morning. She said while cutting his hair she was joking with him about when he was going to change his hair style. Of course, Dave said, never. He had had it this way for a lot of years and wouldn't be changing it. So, she couldn't help but make a few cracks about perhaps his hidden desire to "change his hair style". Thought you might get a kick out of it. I gave her the web site address and she couldn't get home fast enough to visit it. -- Matt Baum (Denison and Denver Friend) Smot the Frog Strikes Again I hate to admit this, but I slept with a stuffed animal last night. I actually slept with SMOT...this is a first. He slept on my chest and under my chin... I talked to him until I fell asleep and then again when I woke up to my alarm. I don't feel any better rested, but if progress is happening at San Fran General then, by golly, I'm sleeping with the little green frog again TONIGHT! --Tom "Bomber" Bryan (Denison Friend) Creativity or Bad Memory? I was Sherrie's roommate for almost seven years, and a fond acquaintance of your son through Mike Putnam and the SF Denison crew. In those seven years, I heard many Smot tales, laughed at many Smot phone messages, and had many Saturday morning Smot sightings on our porch in Sausalito. I am sure if the golf course did not cry his name so loudly, we would have had more weekend mornings with Dave on the sofa. I would step out on to the porch and there was Dave with a huge smile and greeting for me...." Hurricane, what's going on?" In addition to Hurricane, there was Calamity, Queen, and sometimes Sweet- Dave dubbed me with more nicknames than I ever had in my life. In Dave’s presence I was always smiling, the energy he exudes is contagious and his enthusiasm for life, infectious. --Jane McNall Maier (San Francisco Friend) *My father, whom Dave referred to as the Admiral, had the pleasure of meeting your son twice. He too, was charmed with him, and of course his love of the game. Where He Gets It I, like many, have been so moved by the outpouring of love and support
that David's accident has generated and the amazing way family and friends
have gathered round. The overarching fact here is the way David is and
how he relates. Next is the way Kathy, Jay, Bob and Jo are connected to
David and to each other as a family. It struck me that these special qualities
were enabled and nurtured by decisions Bob and Johanna made many years
ago when they decided to dedicate their lives to teaching and to live
and raise their children in the Woodberry School environment. The teacher's
year allowed for numerous family trips both foreign and domestic. I am
sure that So...I am taking this opportunity to send huge heartfelt kudos to David's father, Bob, and mother, Johanna, for creating and sustaining the environment that produced the unique and wonderful David, Kathy and Jay. You two and your family are an inspiration to all of us. --Ken Sadler (Bob's Brother in Law) What We're All Feeling I believe everything happens for a reason. Why this I don't know yet. Dave and I have played many rounds of golf together. We have talked more trash at each other and drank many a beer. There was nothing better than taking his money on his own course! The only thing I have ever wished against Dave is to hook one low and hard out of bounds when I had him pressed to the hilt. But this...this isn't fair. I can only think that it could have been worse. Dave's accident has rallied a nation of friends and family together. There isn't a day that goes by where my fiancé (also a friend of Dave's) and I don't log on to see his improvement. The summaries of the days events and endless support that rolls in is overwhelming. Dave's improvement is a daily topic in our house. It's inspiring. You can step back and tell yourself " life really isn't that bad." It's good to be friends with a person like Dave. I am 100% positive that he will make a complete recovery. He has to. He's a good source of income for me! I wait for the day to tee it up with him again. I wait for the day to celebrate his success of beating the odds and living a long, happy, healthy life. The sooner the better would be nice. -- Curtis Frank (Denver Friend) Faculty Brat If there was ever a negative memory of David in my head, it has long since been purged. What I remember most about him from my childhood was his endless good cheer (okay, okay, and perhaps a twist of "sarc dawg", too). Ted Davies' house - downstairs watching Letterman. If I remember correctly, it was Sinatra's rendition of "New York, New York" that enticed David to jump up in front of the TV, grab his crotch with one hand, the back of his head with the other (in a Ricky Martin- style pose), and grind to the music as he sang along in an exaggerated serious expression. We all howled with laughter. On another occasion, we were working set up for some Woodberry event as "helpers" - I had joined a group of fac-brats that included David. During a dull moment, David spontaneously grabbed Peyton Jobe by the small of the back, covered Peyton's mouth w/ his hand, and french kissed the back of his hand passionately. Of course, despite his (probable?) lack of practice since we were all still in grade school, David made this stunt look as believable as the famous WWII photo of the sailor kissing his girl. It was the most outrageous thing I had ever seen at that point in my life. And of course there were the sports memories. It was always plenty to keep my ego in check to witness David & Peyton walking around Woodberry with their basketballs. I remember being totally awestruck by the 1/4 inch dents that David & Peyton had worn in their basketballs by spinning them on their fingers. I would go home and try for hours to spin my basketball for 5 seconds in a row - to no avail. Props to David in this regard for keeping my head about me - I never did have a future in hoops. --David Smith (Childhood and Woodberry Friend) Only Dave The guy is overflowing with charisma. He's not too hard on the eyeballs either, but his personality alone can easily make the ladies swoon. I've had the good fortune to spend more time with him since I started dating and eventually married Chris. I always look forward to seeing Dave at the get-togethers. The last time I hung out with Dave was in Cape Cod at Chris' parent's house. They all spent the weekend together after Scott's funeral. For some reason my beers were going down quite easily that night. I think I had had about 3 to Dave's 1, this might be a slight exaggeration but anyhow...Dave brought this to my attention and those around us. Not wanting my in-laws to become privy to this information about their prim & proper daughter-in-law, I begged of him to lower his voice. He persisted with his teasing and insisted on referring to me as, "Drunk Girl" for the rest of the weekend (looking back, I think he was simply trying to 'save face' for having been out-drunk by a girl). He slightly made up for it by telling me he thought Chris was a lucky guy. It is this combination of brotherly teasing and the affection that he readily shows what makes him so fun to be around. Last year Chris & I met up with Dave in Breckenridge, CO, where our mutual friend Michele Berman Hart lives. Michele fixed Dave up with a friend of hers and we all went out. In my naiveté, I thought they were on their way to becoming boyfriend & girlfriend. I got updates from Michele and learned that somewhere along the way there was a seamless transition from dating to hanging out together as friends. WHAT?! I said! Whoever heard of the "Let's just be friends" routine actually ending up in friendship?! Only Dave. --Bessie Wolfington (Post-Denison Friend) The Competitor We played golf the day after we met - me with my usually horrible game and him being patient with uncontrollable jabs being thrown at me from time to time. The good thing is that they began to come more frequently as the game progressed, even as I made good shots - oh his Smut way of expressing himself! It wasn't long until we figured out we liked racquet sports too and I got him into the Denver Club. I like to say I got him in the DC even though I know he would have eventually walked in, gotten to know everyone and they would have begged to have him as a member. I enjoyed the first routs on the squash court as I knew he was going to be a quick learner and my time on top would be limited. Sure enough it was and we maybe made it ten or twelve matches before the punishment began. I now have been demolished without a sinlgle victory in our last 3 matches and he has taken it upon himself to beat the other good competitors in Denver: the Steve Halls, Robert Taylors, Beaver Fowlers, etc....Rest assured I will only admit this because he is asleep.... --Mark Stanton (Denver Friend and VES Alum) 'Fraid of the Locals Well here is one that may even shock some......I used to frequent a bar in the city called the Wishing Well. Smetty was ACTUALLY afraid to go in there unless I (a chick) was there. Yes, I know the only bar probably in the country that Smetty was afraid of. I remeber the first time I had him meet me there....I used to commute from San Francisco to our jobs in San Rafael with him. I thought it would be nice to buy Smetty a beer for giving me a ride almost everyday. So I told him where the bar was and told him to meet me there. He opened the door to come in and the entire bar went silent and stared. He had that deer in the headlights look - it looked to me as if he was going to turn and run...I waved and he came in. Once all of the locals realized that he knew someone, they decided he was ok. He told me he would meet me there anytime, BUT I had to get there first. Josey Mannone (Renaissance Friend) Ms. Byers' Third Grade Class (From Back East) Message One: Just thought I would share with you a funny comment from one of my Third
Grade students. I guess I was looking a bit glum yesterday afternoon and
one of my boys asked me why. I told him that I was feeling a bit sad because
one of my friends had fallen and hurt his Message Two: I have been thrilled to hear of your continued progress this week. You never cease to amaze me with you strength and tenacity. Please know that my 3rd Grade class continues to ask daily for reports on your progress. One recently suggested a field trip to come visit you in the hospital ( I think I need to work in a geography lesson one of these days). I am sure that a visit from 13 wild 8 year old boys is JUST what the doctor ordered. Keep up the good work! Message Three: (After I sent a message thanking the class for a book of "Things to do to Make Yourself Feel Better) Thank you!! I just read the boys your message and I wish you could see Norman Nickname Thinking of more highschool Smot stories, one jumps to mind. His penchant for nicknames was developing nicely at the Forest, and whenever a friend would do very well or poorly on a test, Dave would be there with some alliteration, to either help or humble. For example, doing well on an algebra test would bring a "Yo, Alex Algebra, study all night? What's up w' dat?" --David Christopher (Woodberry Friend) Popular with the "Ladies" David's grandmother Mary (Tammy) Hill has six close friends that get together once a month for coffee, cake, and conversation. They've been doing this for years. The youngster of the group is 78. David was visiting Tammy and offered to drop her off and say hello to her friends. He was then going to go to the driving range and hit a bucket of balls. I (her son Jim) was going to pick Tammy up a couple of hours later and take her home. When I arrived to pick Tammy up there was a PARTY going on! The coffee had been replaced by wine, there were stories & jokes being told, everyone was laughing and having a great time. You can guess who was right in the middle of it. DAVID! He had thoroughly charmed the ladies. As Tammy looked at her big, handsome, confident, articulate grandson, there was pride and love in her eyes. That was 4 years ago. Tammy's friends still mention David's visit. And when they do, Tammy beams. --Mary & Jim Hill (Grandmother and Uncle) The Snaggin' Wagon I've been trying to recall how I met him and can't - he was just always around. I remember having a bit of a crush on him but since he was always with Kathy we assumed she was his girlfriend. I was happy to learn Kathy was his sister, but a little concerned to see him driving the snaggin' wagon - clearly he was married with a couple of kids somewhere - what with the third seat in the wayback and everything so I never let on that I liked him. That may have been a bad call.... Please know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers, and if you're ever in need of a good recovery story let me know. My brother is a Steeplechase jockey and we have several friends who have sustained brain injuries similar to Dave's (obviously this is not an occupation I'd recommend) and recovered fully. And although my brother has never had an injury this serious I've been with him for a couple of really bad falls when he has not regained consciousness for a while. He typically can't remember the fall, sometimes can't even remember anything about the day but always insists that he knew I was there, that he remembers me holding his hand, talking to him, touching him and singing to him (what I did when I ran out of things to say). Know that Dave hears you and is comforted by you and that he'll come back to you soon, and tell him we are planning a beach reunion this summer. I fully expect him to be there and to drive the wagon if it's still in commission. --Sheila Clancy (Rehoboth Beach Friend) Sensitive Guy I was working in New York as a lawyer and traveling a lot to Colorado to see Johnny Bauhan. To make the trip easier we would often stay in Denver the Thursday night my flight arrived from New York or the Sunday night before I headed out on that early morning direct flight back to the city. It was quite convenient because we knew we could always stay with Johnny's "Buddy Smooth" in his basement guestroom, aka the dungeon. From the minute I first met Dave, I knew he was something quite special. He kept me laughing always with his adorable personality, even though my boyfriend's receding hairline was the butt of many of his jokes. Since Smooth is also not hard on the eyes, of course my thoughts went immediately to setting him up with some (or all...he was certainly game!) of my cute single friends in New York. He gave me a few pointers to help "smooth" the way for his introductions...he would say "Make sure your friends know that hey, I am just a sweet sensitive guy, and really, I just want to be held." --Audrey Trundle (Friend of Friend) Good with the In-Laws, Too! One night, fate brought my in-laws face to face with my Beta brethren.
We were in this great little Florida burger joint, complete with pool
tables and Bud long necks and we were taking good advantage of the facilities.
And then my in-laws dropped by. I must admit, I was worried. But not because
I thought Dave and Brian and Stills would [do anything inappropriate].
No. Actually, I was worried that my in-laws might be hard to talk to.
They're great people but they can be pretty quiet. Well, I had no reason
to fear. Dave charmed my father in-law to a point where he was wondering
why his little baby girl didn't marry this guy. He couldn't get enough
Dave. He talked about him for weeks. And I think it's because Dave has
this ability to make other people's interests his own. He has the Bill
Clinton gift. You meet the guy and within 30 minutes you've got your The Early Years I have been thinking about David all week. The first image I see of him is his cute Woodberry new boy picture; he was little and wearing a madras plaid "hand-me-over" jacket from Charley Stillwell, which only fit him for about the ten minutes it took to snap the picture. David was an advisee who never needed advice. He had his wonderful wit and sense of humor (we do know where that came from, Ma and Pa), and his superb talent for making friends. As I read through the stories on the web sight, it's easy to see that these early strengths just blossomed as he matured. I also see David carrying his golf bag, walking down the first fairway at Woodberry with his playing partner - his grandmother, Mary Hill. Now there's a boy after my own heart. If any of his present day golf buddies want to know where he really learned to play the game there it is. No report on how much money she won from him is available. --Gay and John Stillwell (Woodberry Faculty, David's Advisor) The Tuck and Go I have known David since our days playing lacrosse together at Denison. He was a four year starter and considered the "go to" guy. I was a three year player and when on the field, the last offensive option. Unlike David, with his plethora of behind the back passes and shots, spins and inside rolls, I had one very basic "bull" dodge in my elaborate ensemble. It wasn't fancy, but I don't have the talent or creative imagination David posses on the field. However, when I rarely got the job done, David let me hear about it. He even had his own name for this awfully threatening maneuver, "The Tuck and Go". Not only would he verbally mock "The Tuck and Go" but he would act it out on both the practice field or select venue where we would be sharing a cold adult beverage. My playing days continued with David in Aspen (luckily I met my wife out there before he was able to lay his "rap?"). Even when successful with "The Tuck and Go", the mocking continued but the friendship grew stronger. He stayed out in Colorado a few years ("finding himself") after I left but became great friends with several of my home boys from Richmond. We expect a full recovery where he will continue to poke at my athletic inability, stretch the truth about his successes on and off the field, and generally continue to be the personality we all love to be around. --Scott Harrison (Denison Friend) Dave in a Nutshell Although I haven't seen Dave in years, he is certainly in my thoughts and prayers as are you and your family. Dave is such a special person. In college, he was always the guy who would welcome everyone into the Beta house with open arms and a big smile. He has a smile and a personality that just lights up a room. What a charmer! He has a beautiful way of making people feel good about themselves. --Kelly Kullick (Denison Friend) Friendship and Healing... I Think About 5 years ago, I was hanging out with Smot at one of
Okie's St. Patrick's Day parties in NYC. Late in the evening I was trying
to convince an ex-girlfriend, with your brother's help, to let me go home
with her. After about an hour, we gave up and I decided to go home. I
lived about an --Rob Miller (Denison Friend) Gracious in Defeat I also had the opportunity to invite him down to suburban Philadelphia, where I grew up, to stay with my folks for a weekend in the fall of '97. We had a nice time playing golf at my folks club (I'm sure I lost money to him that day too), hanging out with my high school friends Sat. night, tailgating and taking him to the the Eagles-Redskins game on Sunday. After an easy Eagle win Dave was uncharacteristicaly (Denison spelling) silent on the drive back up the New Jersey Turnpike. However, whenever that weekend comes up in conversation, he is sure to remind me what a complete dump the Vet is. --Rob Krischker (Denison Friend) With Friends like Dave... David always takes such great pride in telling my dates strange "dave non-truths" that sometimes allow me to return from the restroom or bar date-less. it's usually something like "fulton is so much calmer since leaving prison...". i know he'll want to recover asap to continue to "help" marty and i end our singleness. --Fulton Lewis (Woodberry and Denver Friend) Beer Voice The single thing that cracks me up the most about Dave is his "beer voice." He knows that I am particularly fond of it, so whenever I see him we inevitably run through the whole "beer skit." Although I'm sure everyone knows what I'm talking about, it goes something like this. Someone might mention grabbing a beer and Dave will bellow in a deep redneckish baritone, "Whuuuuutt (what)??!! Beer??!! Whuuuuutt Buuddy??!!" Another mention of beer might prompt a "Whuuuuutt? Beer? Now you're talkin' my game!!" Upon hearing word of a keg party in which the party-giver purchased just one keg, the expected response would be, "Whuuuuutt?! Just one keg?! Whut's everyone else drinkin'?" After a beer or more and any mention of food such as "I'm getting a little hungry" or "I think I better eat something" might elicit a "Whuuuuutt??!! Eatin's cheatin'!!" Needless to say, despite a lot of our long and hard practice, nobody can do the "beer voice" quite like Dave. It is truly amazing the effect Dave has on so many of us as evidenced by the response his family has received over the last week. One day I was reading one of the many e-mails and I saw the name "Jack Nadel" which sounded so familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place it. Mrs. Smethurst pointed out that it was, of course, Dave's employer. I immediately looked in my wallet, knowing that I had a Jack Nadel business card that was Dave's. The significance of this is that one of my (many) hangups is business card clutter. I never, ever keep a business card longer than the time between receiving it and seeing a garbage can (no offense to any of you that thought I had your business card). Dave's card was and will remain the only one in my wallet. The reason Jack Nadel sounded so familiar is because I regularly clean out my wallet and would see that name and would not throw out Dave's card. For as much as I Iove him, I could hardly be considered one of his better friends (didn' t make Dave's college-style phone list, the first thing I give him a hard time about when he's ready), yet it was his card that was able to break the business-card rule. I guess the lesson here is one that keeps getting repeated: Dave is one of the few special people in our lives who makes us do things that we don't normally do. --Neill Redfern (San Francisco Friend) Whuuuuutt Buuddy??!! Professor Dave I have been thinking about how I could offer something to Smot in hopes that his situation will continue to progress. Smot has always found it humerous that the career I chose was education. Right after college I began teaching and coaching in a small private school in New York. As good guy friends do, and Smot is no exception, he ridiculed me to no end about my chosen profession and he claimed that I was not fit to mold the future leaders of the world. He may be right, but we have had many good laughs about it. Two years ago I became the Head of the Upper School at the Tuxedo Park School in Tuxedo Park, New York. Smot laughed harder than anyone. Today, I held an assembly in his honor. I spoke of David and his personality traits, I logged on to the website for the school to see, looked at pictures, read stories and noted his current condition. They were moved by the spirit in which the website was created, they were astonished by the power of prayer and unity that has been witnessed through this and they laughed a lot about how Dave has made such fun of me over the years. Over the next several days I will be collecting cards, letters, pictures and poetry written in Dave's honor. I will forward them to you asap. Although we are here in New York, we are with you in spirit. Dave should know that stories of his overwhelming personality and contagious laugh have taken over an entire school. We are dedicated to his recovery as well. I promise to keep them informed on Dave's progress and to continue the prayers on his behalf. The power of friendship and family is a remarkable thing. Dave should consider himself as a member of the TPS extended family. --Chris Pryor (Friend through Brian O'Callaghan) Uncle Dave My two year old son adores "uncle Dave" and speaks of him for days after Dave's departures. I often have to shake my head, smile inside, and insist that Dave stop being such a bad influence on my ever developing young son. Here's a typical example: We're all at the dinner table. Dave says "Jack, look". Dave opens his mouth that is stuffed full with mashed food and proceeds to laugh. Jack of course copies him and I'm stuck trying to break this habit for the next week! Believe me, pay backs will be hell! --Kathy Bell (sister) Picasso-smot When Dave lived in SF, he would come down to my parent's
house on holidays if he wasn't going home. (easter, thanksgiving, etc).
One Easter, we had the big egg hunt (a ritual in my family), the only
prerequisite being that you had to have a Budweiser in one hand. (Dave
fit well into our family). I think the competition (competition, imagine
that) for the day moved from who could get the most eggs to who could
drink the most beers. Surprise, surprise, Dave won and I ended up "falling
asleep" in the living room chair. When I "awoke" a few
hours later, Dave was sitting right across from me laughing his ass off.
He had gotten the ol' magic marker out and had written all over me. "Buzz
is a lush, etc." He was so damn proud of himslef, what could I do
but laugh too. It wasn't until a week or so later that I developed the
film from Easter and found a few nice shots of Dave posed right over my
face with Bud in hand with that shit eating grin on his face. I'm thinking
it's pay back time about now... Golden Children A number of summers ago (I'm not even sure Kathy was married yet) when Warren was quite little, we were spending an afternoon at the Woodberry Forest pool. Kathy and David were there swimming and sunning themselves...stunning all us dowdy folk, in bathing suits with skirts, with their golden beauty (Sorry, Jay...unfortunately you weren't there that day, or I would include you ...I still can though with regard to the golden beauty part!). Anyhow, Warren (my son) was jumping in and out of the pool wearing floaties on his arms, but he was also watching David and Kathy having fun, really watching. When they'd finished swimming, David and Kathy sat on the edge of the pool at the shallow end next to one another cozily, chatting comfortably with each other, obviously enjoying being together. Warren turned to me and said, "Mommy, are those two beautiful people married to each other?" I laughed and told him no that they were brother and sister, and I asked him why he thought they were married to each other. I remember this clear as a bell...Warren said, "Because they look like they love each other." I'm sure neither Kathy nor David will remember this moment, but I know that I'll never forget it. I can picture them sitting there right now, the perfect example of what a loving brother and sister should be. So there you have it, even a four or five year old could see how wonderfully close your family was and is, and that closeness will see you through these darkest of days. --Hilary Parker (Woodberry Faculty) Confidence Crisis??? I thought I would pass on another Dave story. We had our rehersal dinner on May 21, 1999. I will leave out the fact that Dave gave more of a "roast" than a "toast" at the dinner. After dinner we all went out to a nearby bar. They had a DJ and dance floor. It was quite loud and it was difficult to hear. Nevertheless, Dave was out on the dance floor (that's a story in itself) with one of my wife's friends. They danced for awhile, but it did appear Dave wasn't having much luck and the conversation appeared to be kind of one-sided. After a few songs they left the dance floor and Dave started talking to my future father- in - law. They had meet a few times earlier at some of our engagement parties, and he affectionately referred to Dave as "Big Dave". He asked Dave what happened on the dance floor with Ellen. Dave told him that he was using all his "best lines" and that she was just looking at him like the "Mona Lisa". He thought that was the funniest thing in the world. Dave later talked to Ellen again, and said he has really poured out his best lines, and never before had gotten such a poor reaction. She told him that it had been so loud she couldn't hear. But that he just kept talking. I know that made Dave feel a little better about himself, and he re-gained the brief loss of confidence. He told her no matter what, she should have been laughing whether she could hear or not. --Matt Baum (Denison Friend) David the Gamesman What has mostly been going through my mind is memories about my childhood that include your family. I was trying to tell my husband Steve about the kind of person David is... I don't think I ever realized the kind of person David is myself until now. I told him things like David is good at all games and sports. He is liked by everyone and strangely, he likes just about anyone. David has such a unique sense of humor that a person could never describe it accurately to anyone else and he's always been like that. In the 7th grade David noticed that our French teacher had a little spit in the corner of her mouth whenever she talked. Well from that moment on we could not stop laughing in class - it was really terrible and we actually got in trouble frequently over not being able to hold it together. Now David, when he hears this story, he will tell you that I am the one that noticed the spitball and caused all that trouble. Thats how he keeps the joke being funny twenty years later. One of things that has come back to me about my own childhood is how much I loved games and David was always right there - ready for a friendly competition. In the third grade David was my number one checkers rival. We had daily "championship" games that we took much more seriously than anything they were teaching in school that day. In fact David and I would have a friendly competition going in just about anything. We even (and I am a little ashamed to say this) had a running bet around whose Dog would live longer (Britta or Pooch)! No matter what the game, David is always better: four square, stick ball, smear the queer (we weren't particularly politically sensitive at that time), freeze tag, Town.... Kathy knows them all. What I never appreciated then but love now is that games are really games to David. He always has known how to have fun. I have struggled with that by taking things too seriously, holding grudges, getting angry, etc. David is one of the only people I know who can tease me about a true weakness and instead of getting angry I find myself laughing. And that was when we were only10 yrs old. In the last few days I have really missed David. I wish I could go back in time and just enjoy one day at the Woodberry pool with the gang and David making his witty remarks, so many that I begin to ignore them. I take them for granted because we have been playing games for six hours now: fight for the drain, marco polo, tunnel tag, alligator, red rover, diving contests, splash contest, frisbee and so on. I am thinking and praying for you constantly. I am so appreciative of the generous updates. --Neta Davis (Childhood and Lifelong Friend)
Spanish Smot This story typifies Smot's great attitude and resilience. About two years ago I spent one of my longest and most enjoyable days with Smot in Spain. John Spilman, another Denison friend, and his wife Mollie gathered a group of us to spend a few days at their place in Costa del Sol. This day in particular started with a breakfast on the beach piecing together the previous night's activities with Dave, my wife Nancy, and Dave's date Cindy. In contemplating our various options for the day, the four of us opted for the more aggressive itinerary of driving two hours to Seville to soak up some culture and go to the bullfight, as opposed to stretching out on the beach for the day. Upon arriving in Seville, we felt it necessary to start the day with a cold cerveza to ease up our dates a little bit. After that, we had an incredible visit to the Cathedral. Feeling sufficiently "cultured", we made our way to the bullfight for some local entertainment. Most of our time at the bullfight was spent convincing ourselves that it wasn't such a big deal and we surely could handle a bull or two if we tried. We did all agree that Dave would look good in a Matador suit. As usual, Dave spent a good deal of the day dazzling us with his wonderful stories about himself as well as repeatedly sharing both of his jokes with us. After covering as much ground in Seville as possible without getting thrown in the clink, we decided to head back to the compound at about 2:00 am. About halfway back we stopped to fill up the tank. No less than two miles down the road from our stop, while reflecting on what a great day we had, our car gradually slowed to a stop even though Dave insisted he was pressing the gas pedal down all the way. During our journey on foot from the car to find civilization, Dave mentioned that he "possibly" pumped our car - which demand unleaded-- with a tank full of diesel. When we finally made it back to the gas station, it was very fortunate that none of us spoke Spanish well enough to understand the insults that the gas station attendant, Spain police (who were a little suspicious of a few foreigners walking along side the highway in the middle of the night), and tow truck driver were firing at us. Under normal circumstances this would be a terrible finish to a great day, but with Smot it was increasingly enjoyable especially since we could give him most of the credit for getting us into this mess. After sitting at the gas station reading Spanish adult publications - shirtless - for what seemed like eternity (at least to the ladies), our cab arrived and took us to our place. We finally got back, jumped in the pool, had a beer and laughed our way to breakfast (I am pretty sure Dave told us his jokes again). We are all looking forward to laughing with Smot and sharing all of these fond memories with him. It may take some time but it will be amazing. We send this with all of our thoughts and prayers. --Todd & Nancy Smith (Denison Friends) Game Winner First, I need to set the scene.... I had recently moved
to San Francisco in 1995 and did not know many people, other than guys
I had played club lacrosse with and against, but mostly against... while
attending a cocktail party, thats a lie....when I was 26 we did not call
them cocktail parties, and Dave, you would never have let me gotten away
with making a party sound so upscale...it was a Kegger and that is when
I met you.....if I had only known then, what I know about your personality,
I would never have told the story of how Denison, who we were SUPPOSE
to beat, It was my Senior year at Gettysburg and we were having and O.K. season, but we had a chance to make the playoffs if we won our remaining games..we had our last three games and we only had two left Denison and Franklin and Marshall...and we were suppose to win both....with about 5 minutes to go we were beating Denison by three goals and we started to believe that we had the game won and had our minds on Franklin and Marshall..wake up time...in the ensuing 4:00 minutes the game was tied..Schmott, you had nothing to do with it being tied, so stop snickering, but you did have something to do with the outcome...there was probably 30 seconds remaining and Denison had the momentum, until one of there players lost the ball in front of our goal, i ran as fast as i could, which is not very fast, but faster than you Dave, to pick up the ball...once i had the ball, i realized that the Denison guys had me surrounded and that my only option was to flip the ball back to the goalie and let him clear it....enter Dave Smethurst...as i flipped the ball to the goalie, this skinny, lanky Denison player jumped in front of our goal, stretched out parallel to the ground, and with one hand intercepted the pass and then, with one hand shot the ball behind his back for the game winner..it was over and I never saw him again until that Kegger five years later when I told the story to about 10 people, and he politely introduced himself in front of those 10 people too Dave, I know you can hear the story, so now more than ever, you need to use that never give up, positive attitude to win and recover the same way you did not give up 10 years ago with only 5 seconds left in the game.... Our thoughts and prayers are with you. -- Braden Edwards (Denison Opponent, San Francisco Friend) Fake ID Another story about Dave...... When he and I were about 17, I guess, Dave and I went to my Dad's house for a weekend away from WFS with Sullivan Leinberger. The three of us went down to Georgetown with our fake ID's (sorry about that) and went bar hopping, thinking that we were VERY cool and that the chicks would dig us. Of course, we really looked like under age private high school geeks, so no luck with the babes. But, towards the end of the night, Dave got carded at the bar at Winston's and the bartender asked him his name, social security number, address, etc. that were all shown on the fake ID. Dave forgot some of the information, so the bartender kept the ID and tried to reach across the bar to hold onto Dave so security could kick him out. Sully and I did not see what was going on; we were standing near the bar, towards the exit. Dave pulled away from the bartender, and ran past us, out the door, and as he was going by in a panic, he said: "They're going to arrest me, I'll be waiting under the car!" I guess he thought they were after him and so he thought that if he hid UNDER the car, that no one would find him. Sully and I looked at each other, started laughing, and had another beer. When we finally left, we went to the car and Dave was under it. The entire way there he was going on and on about how he was going to get kicked out of school, etc., until Sully finally asked how that could happen since all the bar had was a fake ID with a fake name? "Oh, yea, never mind" was the answer. After that, Sully and I must have said about 100 times the dorm room, "Oh my God, we're going to get kicked out of school for not flushing the toilet!" and things like that. We really ran that one into the ground, but did get a lot of mileage from it every time Dave would beat us in ping pong, tennis, lacrosse, touch football, basketball, and any other sport we tried, but failed, to be him at. Dave's Kind of Place Just a quick note to say hey from Denver. I am a pal of
Dave's from the Denver Club where we all play a pretty mediocre brand
of squash, but a first rate brand of dice. Everyone here has been following
closely Dave's progress. Six Degrees of David Smethurst There is a game people play called the "Kevin Bacon
Game." The object is to try and pick a celebrity that you are unable
to connect back to Kevin Bacon through the movies that he has starred
in. Basically it is impossible you can always get back to Kevin. Well
in my world I think the game should be the "David Smethurst Game."
It doesn't matter who you throw out there, you Outright Flattery One of my closest friends had the privilege of going out on a date with him once....and all of the girls dubbed him "The hottest guy in New York City". I did see Dave a few months after her date and realized not only is he a great looking guy but a nice person as well. -- Courtney Elias (New York Friend) Outdoorsman Dave I want to relay a story for the webpage. Ever since hearing of David's accident, my mind has filled with memories of our childhood together growing up at Woodberry: arming ourselves with knives and BB guns to go out searching for Bigfoot in the woods; biking out to Goshen Pass and camping in a poison ivy patch (we later discovered) near the cabin (we "really" roughed it - unable to catch enough fish, we just biked to the nearest podunk town and ate at the only restaurant there, breakfast and dinner); pulling golf balls out of the course ponds; hour upon hour of NerfHoops and Ping-pong in House "E" - me losing 99% of the time.... -- Peyton Jobe (Childhood and Woodberry Friend) "Charm School" Smethurst Charm School is a nickname I made up for Dave after knowing him for all of about 20 seconds (it must have been an off night for him). I can't begin to recall all of the laughter, fun and hangovers he is responsible for here in Denver. Wash Park Grille was considering erecting a life size statue of Dave but it was realized quickly that he is so much larger than life and this city does have zoning codes. They are, however worried about profits for the first quarter at this point. I am sure that the fact that I am a bartender at a golf course is in no way related to any affection Dave may have for me. Why is it suddenly so quiet? A few days before he left for San Fran after a night of Red Bull and vodka and pool (if he has amnesia-I kicked his ass. If not, Dave, I'll get you that $20 soon.) we were discussing the fact that a regular of mine offered to let me have two rounds of golf at a course here that is very hard to get into. I think somehow I ended up thanking Dave for agreeing to play there with me in April (how DOES he do that?) Anyway I told him that he better rest up while I doubled, okay tripled up on lessons. Charm School, this is taking it too far. Truly though, I am praying, hoping, doing all I can to contribute to giving you strength with good thoughts because in this world, you are a light that always shines brighter than others. Please be well. Everyone here in Denver sends those sentiments. You are loved. -- (Denver Friend) Dave's New "Rap" Chris [Wolfington] and I were laughing the other day that Dave will go to any length to enhance his "rap" but this may be pushing it. I am sure he is smiling inside knowing that he has a web site fully dedicated to him and all his positive attributes. Jay please tell him that I think the injury and the web site is going to do wonders for his love life when he fully recovers, but he has to recover to reap the benefits. If Dave really is listening, make sure you tell him that I think the "brain surgery rap" is a pitiful attempt to get sympathy from unsuspecting women, but I give him credit for creativity. Tell him next time to stick with his old lacrosse stories or to continue using the lines he stole from me at Denison. -- Matt Gillin (Denison Friend) Cousin Yahoo I've been having lots of memories lately of David and the times our families have been together - Rehoboth, Woodberry, Kathy's wedding etc. I remember riding the surf with Dave in Rehoboth when we were about nine or ten. Sitting on shitty rafts like they were ponies and calling each other 'cousin yahoo' That's a big wave coming there cousin yahoo! Woah cousin yahoo! Let's paddle ashore there cousin yahoo! Pretty much saying anything which would justify a 'cousin yahoo' at the end. Then of course (a bit later) game rooms and boardwalk meanderings in search of the vague, mysterious, dreamy, ever elusive 'girls' (with the hope, of course, that they would make us go yahoo!). Also the adventures through Egypt, Italy and France on the Smethurst tour ... So, I've gotten into a long, reminiscent e-mail after all. I appreciate the upbeat tone and humor in your updates. It's freed me up quite a bit, actually. Because I can't really think about Dave without smiling and that's seemed inappropriate given the situation.-- Doug Sadler (Cousin) PS: If David emerges with amnesia, just remember he owes me A LOT OF MONEY - we'll figure out why and how to split it up later, but I'm counting on you to back me up Jay.
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David's Shivering Thanks for the morning update. This is probably the first time in Dave's
drinking lifetime that he's gone 4 nights straight without a beer...maybe
that's why he was shivering yesterday...withdrawls!
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"Davy" You mentioned stories about David and I have one to share with Johanna, which she may not remember as I do. When I was getting married in 1969, Johanna and Bob were at the wedding with Davy, who was an adorable little toddler with rosy cheeks and bright blonde hair. He was at the age where he was almost inseparable from his mother, and would cry out if her attention avered, especially since he was in strange surroundings. I can still picture my beautiful cousin with her little baby clinging to the hem of her summer skirt, looking up at her with a sunny smile. At one point Jo was called to the phone and Davy protested loudly. I wasn't familiar with babies then, but I had seen Johanna flirt with him, saying his name and calling him into a big bear hug. So, I remember sitting down and clapping my hands lightly together, saying, "Davy! Davy! Davy!" and smiling as I held my arms wide. He laughed out loud and threw himself into my arms, which gave Jo time to talk for a bit. My fondest memory is the smile my Dad gave me, as if he knew someday I'd be a good mom. I've treasured this memory for years, since Dad died long before I became a mother. -- Deborah Christensen (Johanna's Cousin) Wedding Tactics I wanted Dave to hear this story. I know he can remember this because it concerns a very "memorable" young lady (name and address intentionally withheld!). Smooth pulls in to Richmond the weekend after Labor day weekend this year for Clint Greene's wedding. Of course, Greene married a 22 year-old, not bad for an old 32 year-old, has-been like Greene! Anyway, Smooth stayed with Lacey, Gwin(our two and a half year old daughter)and me at our house. He immediately wins over the Sinnott women (2 1/2 year especially) and then proceeds to be on all of the very attractive 22 year-old bridesmaids' "WISH LIST". I figured he rush after the first cute one he thought was "into" him (they always are!) . However, I was surprised to see that he had set his sights on one of the young ladies in particular. He didn't rush in, he waited for her to come to him. (I guess my training tactics in Colorado finally rubbed off on him!!). To make a long story short, he picked the most beautiful of the group, but she also happened to be a med-student at John's Hopkins University as well. Wow, beautiful and smart! Smooth, that's a first, and I am glad I was there to witness it! Dave, your littlest fan, Gwin, says her prayers every night and she ends
with a special prayer for your "head" and she (and all of us)
"hopes it gets better." She prays for her "buddy, Smoothie".
We are here for you, thinking and praying for your FULL recovery. You
can do it, and your are showing others what we have known all along; you
are remarkable! We love you, Dave. Coach Dave I also thought that you all would want to know that the last time I spoke with Dave was on the 10th or 11th. We had spoken previously about coaching a 6th grade lacrosse team together this spring, and at the end of the call decided to do it together and co-coach the team. I remember hanging up the phone and thinking that even though I coached the same team last year (5th grade), we were undefeated and won the Denver tournament for their grade, that the kids would like Dave better than me! Dave is such a wonderful, personable guy and is incredibly likeable! I look forward to watching him be a much better coach than me, 15 years after I watched him be a much better player than me. What a great coach and mentor he is going to be to young children! What a great inspiration he is going to be very soon to not only those who know him, but to all people who will meet and soon come to love him! -- Guy Arnold (Woodberry and Denver Friend) The Nina Story I thought I would go ahead and embarass myself and tell another "Dave
story". While at Denison Dave and I both dated a girl named Nina.
I'm sure your family never heard of her because her relationship with
Dave only lasted until Dave got tired of her (typical). They never went
out on a "date", and I would always go out together with them
to the bar. Well shortly after they broke up To make a long story short, Nina and I dated for 2 years. We graduated,
and I took a job in Cincinnati, OH and she moved in with me. We ended
up having a terrible break up and I shortly thereafter got transferred
to Pittsburgh, PA. As Dave knew me well (and he knew Nina too), I often
would tell Dave how difficult the break up had been on me emotionally
and that it was taking all of my strength not to pick up the phone and
call her. Dave would typically offer encouragement (all the time, not
even being able to imagine why I would have any difficulty) and cheer
me on. He would tell me if I kept it up, she'd probably break down and
call me. Well it got to be about 4-6 months of no contact (but I certainly
thought about her a lot), and I got a hand written message at work that
"Nina" had called. I raced to the phone to call her back, feeling
it had been very tough, but that not giving into the urge to call her
had paid off, she had finally called me. I called, got her right away,
chatted a few minutes, it was kind of awkward, so I asked her " Why
did you call me ?". After a brief second, she said, " I didn't".
I was absolutely devastated. I knew right away- As I think Kathy knows, I moved to Denver in July and he has been my wife's and I's tie to a Denver social life. He is truly my best friend, and since he was in so many weddings, you might not know, but he was in our wedding too, May of 1999. In fact we got married on Dave's birthday, May 22, 1999. -- (Denison Friend) Smooth and my Sister I just wanted to send you a note to let you know that my wife Megan and
I and my entire family are praying for Dave's full recovery. It has been
a few years (10 to be exact) since I have seen you all. I was the goalie
@ Denison and the recipient of many bruises from your son/brother during A list of things David can fight for: Family and Friends We love you David and we will talk to you soon. -- Shea Smethurst (Cousin) England Lacrosse Trip I was a senior at Denison and captain of the Lacrosse team when Dave
was a freshmen. Despite the class and age difference, we have been good
friends and stayed in touch since college. We In 1987 we went to England on a Lacrosse trip and since Dave was a freshman and a pledge, he got the responsibility of being my personal assistant on the trip. He had to carry my bags, etc. During the trip we were supposed to each write a journal about the trip to justify actually getting a college credit for playing Lacrosse for a month in England. The idea was to write about your experiences with the people, sights and culture while traveling abroad. Part of Dave's esponsibilities to me was to write my journal! Well obviously you all know Daves sarcasm and wit. Dave kept the journal for me and I was surprised and pleased how much Dave wrote and the time and effort he put into it. Prior to turning in the journal I decided I should read it just in case anyone ever asked me about it. Well I'm glad I did, I may not have graduated from Denison if I actually turned this document in. It was hilarious! Dave would start with Passages like: You can guess the rest, but needless to say I had to do some editing and Dave in turn had to do some push ups while he was at the Fraternity as a pledge. -- Tim Wall (Denison Friend) Memories I have mentally gone through a photo album of experiences this week. They started this weekend as I was listening to Mike Caravanna (the Denison lacrossse coach) at the US lacrosse coaches convention on Sunday morning. I thought of David and the other Woodberry boys that have played there. When I got home that afternoon, Monica told me the news. Vampires at the Residence, Snurfing at Shack's hill, Ping Pong games in the basement, David and I having to walk from the Bridge home after your mom kicked us out of the van coming home from school, Field Day at Grymes, many lacrosse practices, tennis lessons, tennis tournaments, Skiing in Vail, numerous rounds of golf. The fond memory though is that David was always a friend. His enthusiasm and his competitive spirit were always appreciated. You knew you would always have to give it your best to win or even keep it close. Even if we were playing paper football waiting for the bus in the lobby of the Walker building David wanted to win, he knew how to win. All of you are in our prayers and I know this is just another game where Dave will come out on top. -- John Gillespie (Childhood and Woodberry Friend) Frog Named Smot One of the fondest memories of my life are with Dave on the Lacrosse field. He and I started together on the first attack line all four years at Denison. We were the only two to have that honor of being starters for each year and I must say that we had a little bit of fun on the field together. We had the pleasure of having Scott Fassler or Ian O'Keeffe as being the third attackman to complete our line as we progressed through our senior year. I flat out do not know anyone else who has talent like Dave. Whether it be on the lacrosse field, playing darts at the bar, playing golf or even picking up the women after a few beers (Well, I was better at that than he was, who wasn't?)- Dave just excelled at everything in which he had an interest and he will continue to do that in the future. He has a strong soul, as you know, and I pray for his recovery and a phone call or email with good news. About three and a half years ago, my wife and I had our first daughter, Sydney. In the hospital, I bought a bean bag frog just before we went into surgery to have a c-section. Amy and I named the frog, "Smot," after Dave, because of the date, the 18th of September. Dave's lacrosse number was 18 and it was a tribute to him at the time and I just knew that he would give me SO much shit for having our first born on the 18th. It was a running joke between us. See, my lacrosse number was 22 and of course, we all know when Dave's birthday is.... Anyway, back to the story, "Smot" was also in Amy's hands when she gave birth to our year and a half old twins, Thomas and Sutton. "Smot" is in several family pictures and he means so much to my family. David means so much to me and to my family too. He's one of the handful of guys that I know I will be friends with for a long time to come. When he snaps out of his temporary state, "Smot" and I will be one of the first ones to come visit and you'll have a chance to meet him. -- Tom "Bomber" Bryan (Denison Friend) Family Cars David came down to visit me in Winston-Salem after graduating from WFS, and he showed up in "the Vega" or the Gremlin, or some other sweet ride that, I am sure, was the family pride. We howled about cruising the town in that thing, or caravanning with my sweet "le mans" station wagon. I am not sure which family car was worse, but we would pull up somewhere, rev the engine, and watch the girls scatter. We have laughed about that for years, and I am sure he would remember it even today. -- David Christopher (Woodberry Friend)
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