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The beginning of the new NFL season, which is usually supposed to bring excitement to fans and players alike, but Cleveland Brown Chris Smith was met with tragedy after losing his girlfriend and mother of their newborn baby, Petara Cordero.
Cordero was killed on Wednesday after being hit by another driver as she stood on the shoulder on I-90 West in Cleveland. Before she was hit, she had been a passenger in Smith’s Lamborghini when his tire blew out. After pulling over, the couple stepped out of the car, which proved fatal for Cordero, as the other driver first hit Smith’s car then her.
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“God has a plan for all of us we can’t understand but she is in a better place now and she can rest easy. My wifey, my best friend and the mother of my beautiful daughter. Love you baby.”
He included the hashtag “stay strong,” which, according to People, appeared to be a reference to a tattoo Cordero had inked on her chest, which he revealed that he, along with her other loved ones, also had inked on themselves.
Smith and the woman who hit Cordero were able to escape the accident with minor injuries. The woman also admitted to police that she had indeed been drinking, but People reported that no charges have been filed pending toxicology results.
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Browns head coach, Freddie Kitchens, offered his support to Smith and his family during this difficult time, stating, “This goes beyond football. This was a 26-year-old young lady at the highlight of her life. Not to get too personal about it … Chris is a good dude. She was a good girl. We just want to support him in any way we can,” Kitchens said at a press conference on Thursday.
On Aug. 27, Smith and Cordero welcomed a baby girl they named Haven Harris Smith.