Courtney Joy Smith was born on February 14, 1997 along with her twin sister Taylor Hope Smith. The girls, although twelve weeks early, were welcomed home joyously by their parents, Troy and Jenny Smith, and their older brother, Jake.  Justin was born two years later to complete the Smith family.

Both Courtney and Taylor faced many challenges due to their early birth. Born at just twenty-six weeks gestation, Courtney weighed a tiny 1 lb. 10 oz. and Taylor was just 1 lb. 13 oz. Courtney’s eye disease is just one of the difficulties the girls have dealt with in their young lives. Retinopathy of Prematurity is an eye disease associated with premature birth. While both girls were at high risk for the disease and developed similar symptoms early on, only Courtney’s vision was affected long term. Today, Courtney can detect light in one eye, but has no other usable vision.

Despite Courtney’s disability, she has grown up and experienced life in many of the same ways as other children. She loves to ride her bike in the yard, swim and shop; and also has chores at home, like tending to her plants and the family’s house cat, Furby. Courtney plays with her brothers and sister, and fights with them too. In her house, she is treated just like the rest of the children, and that is what she and her family hope for outside their home. Courtney and her family are big advocates for those with disabilities: they believe where there is a will, there is a way.

As soon as she began to speak, Courtney found her love and talent for singing. Courtney’s musical debut came when she was just in kindergarten, singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at the school Christmas pageant. Not long after, she wowed people at her second public performance, performing Somewhere Out There for her aunt’s wedding. After that, Courtney was hooked. That fall, she went into the studio for the first time to record her debut album, a Christmas CD entitled Christmas Through Courtney’s Eyes. Her second CD, a collection of some of Courtney’s favorites along with a few original tunes written just for her, will be out in September 2005.

Courtney enjoys many activities and stays busy throughout the year. She loves to sing for lots of people and listen to country music. Her favorite country artists are Kenny Chesney, Shania Twain, and Sara Evans. She also enjoys her time in the studio with producers Ron and Dave and working with them to make her CD’s. Courtney’s family is very important to her; she loves spending time with her parents, brothers, sister, grandparents, great-grandma’s, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Reading Braille, smelling perfumes, meeting new people, and collecting Care Bears and stuffed frogs and monkeys also make Courtney’s list of favorite things to do.

Courtney is a remarkable young girl with an amazing outlook on life. At only eight years old, she has learned to look past her disability and live a rich life, touching many others along the way. Through her gift of a beautiful voice, Courtney is teaching others to see the world as she does – through her heart.

Written by
Mrs. Jessica Irey, Spanish/English Teacher
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