DWTS Champ Mourns Tragic Loss Days After Thanksgiving

Flowers at a cemetery.

Pixabay The sister-in-law of a DWTS champ has died.

A “Dancing With the Stars” champ is mourning the loss of his sister-in-law Pam Southall, who died after a battle with cancer.

Emmitt Smith, who won the Mirrorball Trophy on season 3 of DWTS, shared the sad news on Instagram.

“God has called my sister in love Pam home to be with him. Today is the anniversary of my mother’s passing 6 years ago. Please keep our family in your prayers,” Smith captioned a post on November 27, 2022.

Southall, who is the sister of Smith’s ex-wife, Patricia, was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer in 2018, just four months after her dad died. The five-year survival rate of stage four colon cancer is about 14%, according to WebMD. Southall lived for four years following her diagnosis.

Despite Smith and his wife, Pat, deciding to end their marriage in 2020, the two have remained extremely close and still consider each other’s families their own.

Here’s what you need to know:


The Family Received Support From DWTS Cast Members

After revealing that her sister hadn’t been doing well on Thanksgiving day, Pam shared the news that Pam “transitioned” on November 26, 2022.

“I thank the Lord that HE allowed me to be there for her very last breath!!!” Pat captioned an Instagram post. “I truly wanted to share this with you all immediately, but to be honest, my heart was so broken and my body was so weak!!! A huge part of me left when she transitioned!!! The sister bond is powerful!! It has always been Pam and Pat…my entire life!!” she added.

The DWTS family, especially those closest to Smith, shared their condolences on social media.

“Pam was awesome. The sweetest. RIP Pam,” DWTS co-host and fellow Mirrorball champ Alfonso Ribeiro commented on Smith’s post.

“Sending you and your family so much love. Praying for all of you,” ballroom pro Cheryl Burke, who was partnered with Smith on season 3 of DWTS, commented on Pat’s post.

DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba also sent Smith love, liking the post he shared.


Smith’s Sister Marsha Is a Breast Cancer Survivor

Some people may have been confused by Smith’s post about his “sister-in-love’s” death, as his sister was also previously diagnosed with cancer. His older sister Marsha Smith-Hill is a breast cancer survivor.

“When I first found out that she had breast cancer, I was like most people, a little shocked and concerned. At first, I was struggling to try to understand the depth of what we had to deal with. We knew that it was immediate, but it was still going to be a process,” Smith previously told the Garland Journal.

“I think the initial surprise was because nobody in our family had breast cancer or any kind of cancer, period. Then it was a big concern knowing how serious that cancer really is for a lot of people and that cancer has taken out so many people,” he added.

Back in 2017, Smith surprised his sister when she threw out the first pitch at a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game at Tropicana Field in St. Pete. According to local Tampa Bay news station WTSP, Smith-Hill was part of the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Salute to Survivors.

After she threw the pitch, Smith surprised her on the field, carrying out some flowers and embracing her in front of home plate.

“She was determined she was going to beat it,” Smith said of his sister. “She tried to create every positive emotion that you could possibly imagine to help will herself through all the things she had to go through,” he added.

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