By Eric Carlyle
R. Tony Smith has always lived his life in service to others. He’s been a Federation of Gay Games (FGG) officer, founding member of the Compete Sports Diversity Council, on the board of Team Colorado, was instruental in winning Denver’s bid for the 2019 National Gay Volleyball Association (NAGVA) Championship) and has served
the LGBTQ+ community in many other ways.
.
Above: R. Tony Smith was named Compete Sports Diversity’s 2014 Mark Bingham Athlete of the Year.
Recently Smith returned from a trip to Ireland cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. He arrived back in the States with his husband and a 100 degree fever. He was tested for COVID-19 and placed in quarantine. On March 30 Smith was alerted that he had tested positive for COVID-19. By that time his 14-day quarantine was ending and he had fully recovered.
Today Smith Woke up thinking what can I do to help, and decided to donate plasma in the fight against COVID-19. He interviewed with Colorado Children’s Hospital and is looking forward to helping ohters by donating plasma for experimental coronavirus treatments.
Hear R. Tony Smith’s full story here.
Photos by R. Tony Smith
