Chris Smith was a fighter.
“He fought hard, especially the last three years,” said friend and Oakboro Fire Chief Rodney Eury.
His most recent battle was a result of diabetes. He was on a path to overcoming kidney failure. A transplant was a possibility. Both of his legs were amputated.
Through it all, Chris kept fighting.
“We have to get 36 hours of fire training each year,” Eury said. “Chris actually got his 36 hours of training last year. He didn’t get to do any of the really physical stuff, but he’d show up for our classes.”