LEXINGTON, S.C. — A Lexington community continues to pray for a local principal and his family after a violent car crash in Hawai'i.
Thursday was an afternoon of worship and prayer inside RADIUS church's Lexington location, as a large crowd gathered to support each other and the Smith family.
Jacob Smith, the River Bluff High School principal, was on vacation when his family was involved in a car wreck.
According to an accident report from the Hawaii Police Department, a 2020 Ford Expedition with five passengers was driving when it allegedly hydroplaned and crossed the center line colliding with a 2017 Toyota Sienna van.
John Reeves is the lead pastor of RADIUS Church, where the Smiths were partners.
"As we heard about it in the middle of the night a couple of our ladies wanted to get people together to pray. That is the way we respond when there's nothing else we can do."
On Thursday, the church hosted a prayer vigil to support the Smiths, with music and a time for guided and group prayer sessions.
"We were honored to get together and really represent a love that the principal has for this community. So Jacob and Crystal loved the community and great way to respond back is speaking to got on their behalf."
Reeves notes the family has been updating the church on their condition. Radius posted on Facebook Thursday with an update.
It says, "Jacob and Crystal Smith - along with their children Bekah, Banks and Jake - were in a major car accident yesterday. While on vacation on the Big Island of Hawaii, the car they were driving hydroplaned, hit another car head on and crashed into a lava wall. Crystal and Jake sustained no injuries, Jacob is being monitored, and Banks has minor injuries. Bekah is in critical condition. They have airlifted her to a medical center on Oahu."
Reeves adds, "Bekah is hurt really bad, she's broken a portion of her spinal cord and then also has a slight bleed on the brain so at this point they're trying to assess all that and we're waiting on more news on her situation."
We spoke to several individuals at the church and in the River Bluff community, and all described the Smiths as loving and caring members of the radius and River Bluff families.
Nicholas Renner and Thomas Halliday were students at River Bluff and friends with their kids; they attended to pray for a speedy recovery.
Halliday spoke about Jacob, "He just makes the school such a fun place and made it just a happy place to be."
Renner explains, "There's not one person that Mr. Smith doesn't show love to. He is the man, we look up to his." He adds, "They're great kids. Bekah, she's a ray of sunshine like they said in there, she's the kindest person you'll ever meet."
Reeves says they're a family that has poured into the church body and is excited for them to return to Lexington.
"These are the best of the best, they grew up here in this town, both of them grew up in West Columbia, met Jesus later in life and have just invested back into the community, so they're the best as far as knowing and loving people of all sorts."