Grieving Mother Pens Emotional Memoir on Son's Tragic Drowning

In October 2025, Amber Smith, 43, is set to release her new book, "The Girl on the Bathroom Floor," which recounts the heartbreaking loss of her 3-year-old son River Kelly, who drowned in the family pool in 2019. The writing process was deeply emotional for Amber, as she relived the tragedy and found herself unexpectedly overcome with grief at times.

However, Amber also describes the experience as "very healing," as it allowed her to reconnect with the faithfulness of God and the ways He carried her through the unimaginable loss. A particularly poignant moment was when Amber requested the police report to jog her memory about the details of River's drowning, including the pajamas he was wearing. This small detail broke her heart, but also reinforced her desire to honor her son's memory.

Amber and her husband, country singer-turned-minister Granger Smith, have continued to keep River's memory alive, talking about him "every day" in a "joyful way." On his birthday, the family buys a cake and sings "Happy Birthday," and they also find ways to do good deeds or activities that River loved, like go-karting.

Amber hopes that her memoir will encourage others who are facing their own tragedies, letting them know that even in the darkest moments, they can find joy and healing again.