Below is a message from Heather Smith. Her sister, Polly Anna, will be managing this fundraiser.

"Since my husband's death, so many wonderful people have reached out to help me, my family and our business. I thank you all. Others have been asking us about a Go Fund Me page, so my family is setting it up and I've been given the job of telling our story.

I met my Renaissance Man, Eric Smith on New Year's Eve in 1991. We got to know each other at our church's singles group. We were married a little less than a year later. Over the years, we did many, many creative projects together. From music to graphics to 3-D animation – Eric could do it all. And he LOVED to cook and get creative with food. We were blessed to adopt three beautiful kids: Nathan (now 16), Emma (14) and Kaitlin (almost 13). Eric loved all of them so very much. He was a playful and devoted dad who enjoyed helping his kids to pursue their passions.

One of Eric's many creative passions was FOOD. So when he saw his graphics business slowing down, he decided to do something very different: buy a restaurant. Eric and I purchased the Grind and Grill Cafe in December, 2019, taking ownership on our 27th wedding anniversary. Little did we know what challenges we would face. We experienced the usual difficulties of a “learning curve,” but – Wow! – COVID 19 created additional problems that no one could have foreseen. We moved our family to the Big Bear community in August, 2020 and the adventure really began. We all hit the ground running, working daily at the restaurant, trying to make it the best place possible.

Eric was an extremely talented and creative man. Whatever he did, he worked toward excellence. And the Grind and Grill Cafe was no exception. Eric poured so much into the Grind and Grill. His original dream was to have a place where people could be nourished. Not just by food, but by kindness. And, with the help of our terrific staff, I believe we have that. Customers love the food, but they also love our people. Eric and I both thanked God for our staff, who made his dream a reality.

Sadly, pursuing excellence and working hard took its toll on Eric. Staffing and financial problems led to long, exhausting weeks. He became very stressed and overwhelmed and talked about needing to escape and unplug. He left the house on June 27 and did not return. Although I contacted the authorities that night and he was labeled a missing person, we held out hope that he just wanted to get away for a couple of days with no cellular distractions or work emergencies. But when he did not show up for work (which is totally out of character for him), we sought more help. By Thursday, June 30, the Big Bear community went into full gear, helping our family to search for Eric. We were so thankful for everyone's support.

I wish the ending of the story was that Eric returned to us, refreshed and prepared to face a new day. But that is not what happened. The authorities found Eric lying on the ground in the midst of trees nine days later. The coroner said he looked peaceful. Like he had lain down and fallen asleep there. There was no sign of trauma. The cause of death is unknown at this time.

My children and I are struggling with this new reality. It's hard to imagine life without Eric. He has left a hole in our family and our business. We all are working to fill in the gaps, but it's a real challenge. No one can do it quite like he did. It will take a while to find our footing. But we know that God has sent us so many beautiful people to help in ways we didn't even foresee. He is carrying us through this strange season, using people like you. Your words of encouragement, hugs, meals and love are lighting our way. We thank God for each one of you and for all the many ways He's using you to bless our family. God bless you all."

-Heather Smith