A 21-year-old college football player at Michigan State University steps up to fulfill a promise made to his dying mother, becoming the legal guardian of his four younger siblings.
God has beautifully designed families as pillars of strength and love in our lives. When storms hit, He created the family bond to be our shelter, where siblings stand together and hold each other up.
In August 2023, the Smith family faced their toughest battle when their mother, Gala Smith, lost her fight with breast cancer. Before her passing, she received a heartfelt promise from her son Armorion that he would care for the family.
Now at age 21, he balances his life as a college athlete and criminal justice student at Michigan State with raising his siblings – Armond (16), Avaugn (15), Arial (11), and Amaira (3).
Their sister Aleion (19) helps run the household while Armorion handles his packed schedule of 12-hour days on campus.
“If I don’t step up, who could they turn to?” Armorion said about his decision. “I’m just happy we’re all together. That’s just the biggest thing. I’m gonna be their protector.”
Beyond providing a home and basic care, Armorion takes time to guide his siblings in both life and learning. He helps them with schoolwork and shares his football skills.
His sister Arial looks up to him with pride, saying, “I’ve always looked at Mari as a role model too, ’cause he went to college. I was gonna go to college too. He taught me a lot, taught me how to do math. I’m good at it now, real good.”
The Smith family’s story touched hearts at ‘Good Morning America,’ where host Michael Strahan had special surprises waiting. During their visit to the show, Armorion and Armond received three gifts that would change their lives.
First came a $40,000 check from Cash App to help secure their future. Then Disney stepped in with a family trip to Disneyland Resort, including both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.
The final gift came from Detroit GMC Dealers – a new GMC Acadia that solved their need for reliable transportation.
When presented with these blessings, Armorion could barely find words: “There’s no words in the world to explain. I don’t know. I’m feeling loved. This is ridiculous. This is a blessing. I wonder what my mom would be doing.”
Through all their changes, the family keeps their faith strong. Armorion believes his mother watches over them still. “She’s still here in spirit,” he shared. “All the blessings we’ve been havin’, it’s like all the stuff she ever wanted. She just working miracles.”
Aleion sees the strength in her brother’s choice to step up: “He’s a good man. And he’s doing right by us. And I’ve gained a lot of respect for him, ’cause he stepped up and did something that none of our fathers could.”
Armorion’s story reminds us of the sacred gift of siblings – how brothers and sisters can become anchors of hope and stability when waves of challenge crash in. The love between siblings is one of God’s most beautiful designs – pure, protective, and unconditional.
When we see a brother step into a father’s role, putting his own dreams on hold to nurture his younger siblings, we witness the kind of sacrificial love that Jesus taught us about.
Let’s keep the Smith family in our prayers as they walk this path together, asking God to strengthen their bond and guide them through each new day.
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