Country Singer Nearly Took His Own Life Following His Son’s Tragic Death

Granger Smith, a well-known country artist, candidly revealed that he came dangerously close to attempting suicide to escape the overwhelming pain of losing his 3-year-old son, River, in 2019.

His wife, Amber Smith, shared in her forthcoming memoir, “The Girl on the Bathroom Floor”, about her husband’s struggle during a dark period. An excerpt from her book describes how Granger placed a 9mm Glock in his mouth, a moment of intense despair.

Amber recounted that after a concert, Granger, fearing emotional turmoil, initially sought relief through alcohol and marijuana. As he consumed alcohol to numb himself, haunting images of River’s drowning surfaced—visions of River face-down in the pool. Amber wrote that Granger began experiencing visions of his son, which intensified his anguish.

Amber described how Granger, overwhelmed by guilt, believed he was a failure as a father, which drove him to seek out his gun from a drawer by his bed. In a moment of deep despair, he fumbled for the weapon, but after crying out to God, he experienced a sudden change. The visions ceased, the gun slipped from his hand, and he collapsed on the bathroom floor of his bus, sobbing and exhausted.

Granger confided in Amber about his distress, but he did not disclose how close he came to pulling the trigger at the time. This crisis was during a period when he was drinking heavily after River’s tragic drowning. Amber reflected that she wished she had recognized his pain sooner, emphasizing how suicidal thoughts can remain hidden.

The Smith family has since expanded with two more children, Maverick and Lincoln, after undergoing IVF. Amber’s memoir is set to be published on October 14.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.