CHARLOTTE, N.C. – It is nothing short of fate that Steve Smith, a man shaped by the impact of domestic violence growing up, seeing his mother beaten and degraded by her husband, was asked to wear the number 89. It had been Rae Carruth’s number. Carruth was also shaped by the impact of domestic violence. His fate: behind bars, forever known as the Carolina Panther convicted in the murder of the woman carrying his unborn baby.
Smith explains, “Mark Richardson and Mr. (Jerry) Richardson, when I first got here, they gave me a number, number 89, and obviously, 14 or 15 years ago, that number was someone else’s. And I didn’t want to wear it and they said they gave me that number because I had the chance to change the misfortune, what everybody knew that number for. And I wanted to change it so bad, because I knew who wore that number. And they had that much trust in me, it was something special. So that’s why I still wear it, because it shows the trust they had in me. I don’t think I even had in myself.”
Smith is now wearing number 89 for the Ravens, having been unceremoniously cut from the Panthers after the 2013 season. More on that in a moment. But Smith’s family, his roots, are still in Charlotte. His own experience with domestic violence is still impacting the work he does off the field.
The Steve Smith Family Foundation will host its second annual “Strike Out Domestic Violence” bowling event on Saturday, February 28. Money raised will benefit Safe Alliance (http://www.safealliance.org/), a local organization that helps the victims of domestic violence recover from physical, emotional and psychological trauma.
WCCB News @ Ten’s Morgan Fogarty asked Smith, “What is it like for you, somebody who is such an advocate for combating domestic violence, to see what’s happened with Greg Hardy and Ray Rice, in particular?” Smith says, “Well, honestly, I think domestic violence is not a NASCAR, MLB, NBA or NFL issue. It’s a people issue.” Fogarty asked, “Just as Steve Smith, to those guys, do you talk to them? Do you offer words of encouragement? Wisdom? Your own experience with DV?” Smith says, “Some of the guys, you know, they ask, but then at the same time, my interaction with them, in these two guy’s cases, has been very limited based on the consequences of their actions and some of the things they’re going through.”
NASCAR suspended Kurt Busch indefinitely on suspicion of domestic violence. Fogarty asked Smith if he thought NASCAR had learned a lesson from the NFL. He says, “I think with everything going on, anybody and everybody that has an issue like that come up, I think they have to be swift, despite what may be the end result. I think that’s where we’re at. I think we need to be a little bit more proactive instead of reactive.”
Fans were outraged when the Panthers cut Smith, an established game-changer. Smith made it clear he wasn’t too happy about the handling of his exit, either. He won’t discuss the Panthers now, didn’t want to tell Fogarty if he would one day like to retire a Panther, as has been suggested by many.
But he did have this to say about one person in particular in the Panther’s front office. Fogarty asked, “Have you talked to Jerry Richardson since you left?” Smith says, “Yeah, I’ve talked to him. I have. We’ve had multiple conversations. I’m serious.” Fogarty continued, “What do you think about Jerry Richardson?” Smith says, “I love Jerry Richardson. He’s, since my grandfather died, he’s been a guy I really lean on. As an older father figure. Our relationship with him and what I look to Mr. Richardson for is something greater than football. It has nothing to do, my relationship with him, I believe at this point in my life, has nothing to do with football. It has to do with everything he’s taught me and the opportunities he’s given me. And, he’s given me, what Mr. Richardson has given me, what Mr. Richardson has done for my family, is give me the opportunity, I grew up in LA. My mom dealt with the things she had to deal with. He’s given me an opportunity here in Charlotte, that my kids will never have to deal with the surroundings that I had to growing up. I owe him everything. He’s changed, he’s given me the opportunity to change my life, my kids’ lives, for generations and I owe him a debt of gratitude that I can never repay.”
For Strike Out Domestic Violence Bowling Event tickets, click here: http://stevesmithfamilyfdn.org/events/strike-out-domestic-violence-bowling-event/
