PATRICK COUNTY, Va. (Romero Report) — A self-written obituary by a Meadows of Dan woman has gone viral for its message of love, faith, and the importance of family.

Valerie Ann Smith passed away peacefully at her home on June 20, surrounded by family.

Her obituary, which has been shared over 100,000 times on Facebook, begins with, “After months of fighting, I have finally won my battle against renal medullary carcinoma and now sit at the feet of Jesus!”

Smith wrote that while death at 39 years old was not a situation she thought she would face, it did give her some very valuable insights.

“One of the most important lessons this journey has taught me is that your plans and God’s plans rarely align,” she wrote. “So, remember when you’re making your plans, they really are tentative. Focus on not holding grudges because holding a grudge is only putting you in a sour mood.”

Smith’s words reminded everyone to cherish their loved ones, spend quality time with family, and invest in meaningful relationships.

She wrote, “Spend time with your kids. Put your phone down, pause your work, and give them a hug. Tell them how proud you are of them. Love all over them and invest in quality time with them. Go out regularly, see and experience things and sites with them. They need you.”

She also asked readers to find a church home, sharing her experience at her church in Stuart: “If you haven’t already, find a church home. I struggled for years to find somewhere that felt like home… If you’re reading this, there’s at least one chair open now in the front row at Grace Baptist Church. It was my favorite place to sit.”

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Chris Johnson Foundation to support research for renal medullary carcinoma.

Read the full obituary here.

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