The Smith family decorated their home for Christmas this week, and there is a stocking hanging from their fireplace for every member of the tight-knit family.
One of the stockings is for Stephanie, their 29-year-old daughter who died from COVID-19 complications on Nov. 18 - five days after what would have been her wedding day.
"Stephanie wouldn't want it any other way," said Oralia, Stephanie's mother. "Christmas is going to be different of course, and we're going to feel it, but she wouldn't want everything to stop. She wouldn't want that from us."
The Smith family and Stephanie's fiance, Jamie Bassett, described Stephanie in many ways during Family Dinner Night on Wednesday in Levelland - Caring, fearless, full of love, helpful, hilarious, the life of the party, strong, and passionate, and the list could go on.