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| The Texas-born stuntman Dean Smith, right, with John Wayne making “The Alamo” in 1959. |
Dean Smith is a colorful Texan and Olympic gold medal winner who spent a half century as a Hollywood stuntman and actor, appearing in ten John Wayne movies and doubling for a long list of actors as diverse as Michael Landon, Steve Martin, Robert Redford, and Roy Rogers. Dean Smith has taken falls from galloping horses, engaged in fistfights with Kirk Douglas and George C. Scott, and replicated one of the most famous scenes in movie history by climbing on a thundering team of horses to stop a runaway stagecoach.
Growing up he was a wishful and determined small-town boy. He ran track for the University of Texas, set college records, won an Olympic gold medal at the 1952 Helsinki Games, and played professional football. He then spent the next 50 years as a motion picture and television stuntman. His long list of honors includes membership in the Stuntman’s Hall of Fame, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
Dean Smith currently lives on a ranch in Ivan, Texas, with his wife, Debby, and son, Finis. He is battling Multiple Myeloma.
Dean's wife tell his story in her own words:
"In January of 2005, Dean was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. He lived in Graham at the time but was hospitalized in Fort Worth. After the initial diagnosis and treatment, Dean was sent home from the hospital with a PIC line in his upper arm where he was administered medicine. He had home health nurses coming in regularly to check on him. Dean couldn’t walk and was in a wheelchair at first. As time went on, he slowly progressed and went from the wheelchair, to the walker, to a cane, then back on his own two feet walking. Soon he was back to riding his horse. For the next 6 years, we obsessed with his cancer numbers and we checked them every month. They tend to go up and then back down again. Today he doesn’t seem his age although I have noticed him slowing down a bit. We are very blessed to have good doctors and for Dean taking care of himself as a young man. When Dean was first diagnosed the Doctors gave him 2 years to live. Now, 11 years later he is still enjoying life.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is going OVER THE EDGE of the Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel to raise awareness and money to help create a world without blood cancers. 2017 will be the first time LLS is offering this event to a limited number of participants.
Take the challenge and rappel down the side of one of the tallest buildings in Fort Worth to help LLS raise $250,000 for the mission.
Get all of the details on our website here.
Questions?
Contact Brian Brooks
(817)288-2635
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