Singer Conner Smith returned to the stage on Wednesday, July 30, for a performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
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The special moment came weeks after a tragic incident involving the 24-year-old, causing him to stay away from the public eye for weeks.
What Happened to Conner Smith?
On June 8, 2025, in Nashville, the "Creek Will Rise" singer struck retired attorney Dorothy Dobbins with his Chevrolet Silverado. She was walking in a marked crosswalk near Van Buren Street and 3rd Avenue North. The 77-year-old Dobbins later died from her injuries at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
The Metro Nashville Police Department found no indications that Smith was impaired or distracted while driving. On July 10, authorities issued him a Class A misdemeanor citation for failure to yield resulting in death. The charge shows a lack of criminal intent. His booking is scheduled for August 7.
According to WSAZ-TV, residents had expressed concerns about the visibility of the crosswalk before the incident even occurred. In the weeks since, the city worked to improve safety at the accident site.
What has Smith said about the tragedy?
Smith made his first statement about the accident on July 11.
He said, "Not a day has gone by that I haven't grieved, prayed and mourned for Ms. Dobbins and her family."
On a Substack entry dated July 30, Smith said he spent weeks isolated from the world so he could process the pain.
"It's hard to explain the things I've learned through this journey: the intimacy with Jesus I felt, the kindness of community I experienced, the love I've been surrounded by, the way I've felt God protect me in every single way," he wrote. "There's so much to this story that I pray, in time, I will be able to share, but for now, my heart just wants to say thank you."
Smith Wants To Move Forward
Smith said in that post that he "found it hard to imagine ever stepping on a stage again." He considered his performance at the Opry "a chance to begin again, having seen the things that truly matter in life."
He wrote to fans, "Thank you for standing by me. Thank you for protecting me. Thank you for supporting me when it wasn't easy to do so."
