Sonny Smart, the father of Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart, was a longtime high school football coach in Alabama and Georgia (1988-2003) in America.
Sonny passed away around 12:15am on Saturday at the age of 76. His wife Sharon and children– Karl, Kirby and Kendall– surrounded him during the death.
He had been suffering complications from hip surgery after he fell while walking in New Orleans before the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Eve and fractured his hip.
According to the school, the difficulties unfortunately arose after Sonny was hospitalised and underwent surgery. He did not overcome his injuries despite fighting valiantly.
Kirby Smart spent part of New Year’s Day with his father at the hospital and returned to the hospital shortly after the Bulldogs’ 23-10 loss to Notre Dame in a CFP quarterfinal on Thursday.
The Smart family in the statement expressed their gratitude to the Ochsner Medical Center staff.
Sonny who played football at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, was a football coach at Holtville High School in Alabama. He also led the baseball team to a state title in 1982.
Later, he coached at Bainbridge High in Georgia. Kirby Smart played safety for him at Bainbridge High and Rabun County High in north Georgia.
