Leslie Reeves and Chris Smith: A First Date Tragedy
This story is absolutely heartbreaking. In 2021, right before Thanksgiving, Chris Smith went on a first date with Leslie Reeves. Tragically, the date ended in a shooting at Smith's home in Farmersville, Illinois. Leslie Reeves died at the scene.
Smith was found with a bullet lodged in his brain. Rushed to the hospital and after undergoing intensive Brain Surgery. Medics put him into a medically induced coma to begin the long, difficult road to recovery.
Chris Smith and Victor Williams: Brain Surgery and a Fight for Survival
The bullet fragments left behind are permanently stuck, permanently altering Smith. Removing them is too risky! The damage would become irreparable also, for removing remaining rather than letting body work around them as brain also repairs from injury.
His amazing family—mom, Sharon Costanza, and sister, Ashli Holcomb—stayed through this dark, impossible period too and as medics delivered harsh reality: Chris might never, ever recover past present, damaged state!. Instead would live in assisted-living or something similar instead of “fully there!.”
Chris Smith, 48 Hours, and a Miracle Recovery: Defying the Odds
Despite terrible prognosis, miraculously he woke just weeks after initial incident during January 2022! However despite beating initial “coma hurdle.” His future and memories remained foggy. Asking around as memory left too and despite already talking/messaging before fateful date.. Who even were Leslie nor those connected also!?
Then Dr. Victor Williams broke worse news yet! His leg likely paralyzed.. from Hip to Knee: partial, Below knee… complete! Now required returning back with Sharon. Despite previous life which is now “completely lost” despite “best, possible prognosis and some absolutely superhuman internal resilience!” This wasn’t the “Chris ending!” Rather beginning!
Brain Injury, Paralysis, and a New Lease on Life: Chris Smith's Story of Resilience
This man never quit fighting! He goes daily, working regaining the full movement that once was.
Even after these traumas? This survivor found again that original, old rock band alongside proposing “forever partner Michelle!. Their future now starts too, where previous old Chris became someone incredible “despite the change rather than giving, ever, at any moment!.
Leslie Reeves, 48 Hours, and a Motivational Speaker: Chris Smith's Journey of Hope
Leslie died tragically, violently which started chain to another's journey from darkest abysses until miraculously now also he looks into yet, entirely new path. He now also wants that gained personal “strength too to empower fellow travelers currently going similarly dark nights themselves after tragedy rather than requiring even having such physical ailment since often many injuries manifest "invisibly for outside also rather than presenting some overt sign or mark like Chris now carries always as an everyday reminder.” So he uses both towards building strength “spiritually by finding some renewed purpose that also brings personal motivation despite those dark past occurrences by taking all previously occurred also rather than feeling consumed during trauma even.. Even by establishing himself as "motivational personality with web address available too!” after those prior media mentions also rather than remaining simply Leslie’s killer’s surviving victim!.
Chris Smith's miraculous recovery is truly inspirational! Through tragedy comes “new life too in unexpected beautiful and “miraculous ways too”. With a newfound future, rather “end” and so “ends our story! Rather a pause here also for next chapters, in many more yet told stories. And “Boom!" “They all start next time rather than “end!” despite however painful, or scary that start feels.
