Local man inspired to become social worker after losing wife
As we previously reported, the month of March is “National Social Work” month. 47 ABC spoke with one local student who has now devoted his live to learning more about social work, after he learned about it through tragic circumstances.
Patrick Smith’s late wife Tricia was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2007. She was given three months to live, so they packed their bags and headed to New York to find the best care they could. During their time there, Patrick says they were confused and sometimes depressed. That’s when they were put in contact with a social worker through the cancer center.
47 ABC spoke with Smith and he says, “I realized that what I had thought social work was, it was not it, it was much more than that. At that time the social worker really let us know that we had not only her but a whole team of social workers that were there to support us that they were going to refer us to counseling and basically anything that we needed they were going to be there for us.”
But despite the comfort and support they received, they were skeptical. However, after experiencing what they really did, Patrick says he was amazed and inspired.
Smith tells 47 ABC, “They wanted to know personally what do we need at home what did we need while we were away from home in New York. That is what really started me wanting to look into social work.”
Patrick’s wife Tricia passed away in 2010 surviving almost 3 years after her diagnosis. He later remarried and he says after telling his current wife about his ambitions to become a social worker, he decided to go for it.
Smith tells 47 ABC, “As soon as I made that positive decision that they’re was no turning back from, doors started opening up.”
Smith was accepted into the nursing program at Wor-Wic Community College and graduated in 2014. And that fall, he started at Salisbury University studying social work. Smith will be graduating with a bachelors degree this spring and has already been accepted into the Social Work Master’s program this fall.
Smith tells 47 ABC, “Now because of the wonderful program at Salisbury University, I know that the social work field is amazing, it’s huge, there’s so many directions that you can go into.”
Not only is Smith a social work student, he is also a war veteran, having served in the Coast Guard for 4 years and the Army for 11. He tells 47 ABC, his ultimate goal is to have his own practice and provide counseling to veterans.
