ZACHARY — When Bobby Smith started thinking about what to get his father, Lionel, for his upcoming birthday, he realized no gift could ever measure up to the man who had given him everything.
“Growing up, my dad was always the one that put family first and worked second,” Smith said. “As long as we had everything we needed, he was always around, very involved with us and everything we had going on with sports or hunting and fishing. He’s also always been big into cars, really anything with an engine. He’s just a big gearhead.”
Lionel Smith, a proud father of three and grandfather of five, has spent his life surrounded by family, engines, and the simple joys of hard work. But earlier this year, everything changed.
A Difficult Diagnosis | Stage 4 Esophageal Cancer
“In April, he ended up getting diagnosed with esophageal cancer,” Smith said. “He’s been battling that, and from that, he’s lost quite a bit of weight — just about all of his strength. He really can’t do anything more than just go to the doctor. Even taking a shower takes his breath away.”…