This is so tragic.

Oh dang, thats awful . Prayers up to Chris

Very sad news indeed.

Man, that's absolutely tragic. My prayers to him and their families.

Damn, that's terrible news, heartbreaking for the families, Chris and his daughter now left without a mother.

It seems Chris and Petara were together when his Lambo blew a tire and struck the median. They were out of the vehicle on I90 when she was struck and killed. The other driver admitted she had been drinking...

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2019/09...nt-on-i-90.html

Oh my god....

Damn! That is horrific!

That's horrible. Can't even imagine.

From Zac Jackson...

Petara Cordero was traveling with Smith around 2 a.m. when Smith’s vehicle spun out and hit the median due to a tire malfunction. Smith and Cordero exited the car, and she was struck by an oncoming vehicle. Cleveland police and EMS arrived on the scene quickly; Cordero, 26, was pronounced dead at Fairview Hospital.

Smith and Cordero have a daughter, Haven Harris Smith, who was born last month.
“Words cannot describe the sorrow we feel for Chris following the loss of his girlfriend, Petara,” Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “Our entire organization mourns with Chris, his family and the Cordero family. We will do everything possible to offer them our support, comfort and any resources in this most difficult time.”

The Browns have given Smith the chance to take as much time away from football as he sees fit. Freddie Kitchens visited Smith at Smith’s home Wednesday morning.

According to a police statement, Smith was not impaired, but the female driver of the vehicle that struck Cordero admitted drinking. The statement said the matter remained under investigation and no charges had been filed as of Wednesday afternoon.

Browns players were notified of the incident during a team meeting Wednesday, a scheduled day off from practice. The Browns return to the practice field Thursday ahead of their Monday night game at the Jets. In addition to the team’s standard in-house resources, the Browns will have counselors on-site throughout the week to provide emotional support and care to all players and staff.

Smith, 27, is in his second season with the Browns after he played three seasons for the Jaguars and one for the Bengals. He’s a popular player in the locker room and an important part of the team’s defensive line rotation. Smith played in all 16 games last season, starting two and recording one sack.

Wow. I don't know what else to say.

So incredibly sad..praying for hi and his family

words fail at times like these.

Stunning tragedy. It's irrelevant in the face of such news, but I can't imagine getting ready for a game. I didn't know Chris was such a great locker room personality.

Freddie Kitchens said the entire team is behind Chris Smith: 'We're going to get through it together'

Posted: 3:26 PM, Sep 12, 2019
By: Kaylyn Hlavaty


CLEVELAND — In a news conference on Thursday, head coach Freddie Kitchens says the team is supporting Chris Smith in every way possible, following the news that his girlfriend was killed when a car hit her on I-90 Wednesday morning.

Kitchens took a moment to react to the news of Petara Cordero, the girlfriend of Smith and the mother of their 4-week-old daughter, whose death has left an entire organization in mourning.

Calling it “an emotional time” Kitchens said, “We are going to support Chris. He’s a great dude. Good in the locker room. We are going to support him, and our hearts and prayers go out to him, his family, her family. Really sad.”

Kitchens said the team will get through this together because they care for each other.

“We try to build a culture around here where we hold each other accountable so when you do that, you have to start caring about people,” Kitchens said. “This goes beyond football. This was a 26-year-old young lady at the highlight of her life. Chris, not to get too personal about it, but Chris is a good dude. She was a good girl. We just want to support them in any way we can.”

Cordero, 26, who was a passenger inside a Lamborghini, was killed when another vehicle driven by a 47-year-old woman who admitted to drinking struck her as she stood in the north shoulder of I-90 westbound. Both Smith and Cordero were standing outside the vehicle when she was struck.

When asked if Smith will be available this week, Kitchens reiterated that there are more important things that come before football.

“I haven’t even given one thought about that and I don’t even want Chris to think about that. I told him yesterday this is beyond this, okay. We can make it whatever we want to. As people in the business, as people covering the business, and I’m not saying you are, but in general, guys this is life. We like to say different things about life when it doesn’t really matter, but once it starts affecting you, it gets serious,” Kitchens said.

“And that’s the way we should approach every area. That’s what we’ve tried to instill in these guys, so when you have a bunch of guys that are close and continue to move in the same direction, it affects everybody because you end up caring about the person," Kitchens said.

Smith, who has been with Cleveland since signing with the Browns in 2018 as a free agent, is well-like among fans in Cleveland and in the locker room. He’s considered a friend, a mentor and a big brother to many who stand next to him on the sidelines.

Kitchens said he's constantly telling the team that this football season is a journey.

“If you want to get the most out of your team, you have to start, at some point, caring about each other. And when you do that, that builds relationships. And Chris is one of those guys. His smile is infectious. His personality is infectious. He’s just overall well-liked. Everybody in that locker room is hurting for him,” Kitchens said.

Kitchens expressed the importance of Chris having caring people in his back pocket, pointing to all his teammates who are ready to help him through the grieving process and beyond.

"When you go through bad things in life, you want people around you that care about you and that care about you for the right reasons,” Kitchens said.

He added, "Chris is on my mind right now. His family is on my mind. Her family is on my mind. The 4-week old baby is on my mind. It’s a difficult time, but we are going to get through it. There’s never going to be an excuse. We’re going to get through it. I promise you that. But we’re going to get through it together. Chris is included in that. His family is included in that."

https://www.news5cleveland.com/sports/br...ugh-it-together

j/c:

I hope this does not come across the wrong way. I am saying this because I feel so freaking bad for Chris Smith.

The entire situation is tragic. And while he is not at fault in the least little bit, I bet the poor guy is replaying this over and over and over and wondering what he could have done differently.

He will probably ask maddening questions of himself, such as: "Why didn't I get the car serviced recently?" "Why didn't I control the car better after the tire blew out?" Why did I allow her to stand where she did?" "Why was I even out that night?"

I'm fairly certain that Chris Smith is blameless, but man, when something like that happens to you, and you are a good dude, those types of thoughts cycle through your mind over and over. It's going to be hard for him to shake this.

I am glad that he is receiving so much support from the Brown's organization. He's going to need it. My heart goes out to the guy.

My grandma spent her last 27 years wondering why she didn't take the time to tie her shoe BEFORE she got in the car with my grandpa. As she said "If I'd have done that, the drunk motorcyclist would have been past that curve when we got there."

A drunk motorcyclist killed my grandpa. And my grandma beat herself up over it for years.

That's tough. We all know that she and Chris were not at fault, but it's hard not to question yourself when you are involved. It makes things like this all the more tragic and heart-wrenching.

Agreed. I really feel for him, but even more so, her family.

Sorry to hear that ... had to be an awful situation for her

I agree Vers... to lose a loved one is difficult, to lose one in a "senseless" accident is even more tragic, to be there and have to watch has to be indescribable..

Whatever he feels is best for him right now, whether that's staying active and playing football or taking a little time to collect himself and be there for his family... I support whatever he thinks he needs to do for him and his family at this time.. and I just pray that somehow, someway, he can find some peace.

Horrible and stunning event. Prayers for him, for her, the families, especially the child. Feel awful for the loss. Strength and comfort and healing. Not sure how you begin to process this. Maybe he needs time away. Stand tall beside him everyone.

Very Sad... RIP

He’s decided to play tonight .. Good luck dude!

Prayers