Lehi People
Chad and Carrie Smith honored with Lehi Legacy award
Former Lehi High School employees and current superfans Chad and Carrie Smith were honored as this year’s Lehi Legacy award recipients at the Pioneer boys basketball banquet on April 14 by Coach Reed Bromley.
At the time of the presentation, Bromley shared a brief history of the couple’s involvement at the school with the help of their daughter, Codi Smith Butterfield.
“Chad and Carrie Smith have created quite the legacy in their 53 years of marriage,” Codi wrote. “They have always chosen each other over anything else. They have been amazing examples to their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
“Over the years, they have not only loved and served each other, but they have loved and served the city and people of Lehi,” she said.
Chad and Carrie moved their family to Lehi in 1985 when Chad became a Lehi police officer. He quickly rose up the ranks from patrol sergeant to detective sergeant, lieutenant and then was sworn in as police chief in 2002.
In 1998, Chad was the first police officer assigned to Lehi High School. In 2012, Chad was recognized as Police Chief of the Year. He was also named Utah Citizen of the Year for saving a 3-year-old’s life from drowning after a pool accident when both were on vacation. Chad retired from police work in 2014.
Carrie also had a strong love for Lehi and wanted to work at the high school where she too advanced through the ranks.
She started as a parking attendant, then moved to attendance secretary, and then she became the registrar. Carrie loved helping the kids at the high school. Many kids graduated because of her, Codi said. She retired in 2015.
Chad and Carrie love the community and still do to this day. They continue to attend all of the football, baseball and basketball games.
Chad started coaching in Lehi in 1985, where he took his oldest son and won a little league state championship.
In 1987, he started to help coach the Lehi football team and continued to coach on and off until 2001. He decided to retire from football when his youngest son graduated and they had ended with a state title. Chad also coached the Lehi High School baseball team from 1999 -2000.
“Chad and Carrie love the city of Lehi and still do to this day,” Codi said. “They will make sure everyone knows that they ‘bleed purple.’”
Although it had nothing to do with why the Smiths were receiving the award, Bromley also shared a few personal anecdotes from interactions with the Smiths through the years.
The most riveting story involved saving the life of one of Bromley’s brothers. “I was babysitting my two little brothers (John 4 and James 2) when I was 11,” Reed said. “John had a bad case of croup. At some point James was persistent in getting my attention to check on John.
“He was behind the wood stove laboring to breathe, and blood was oozing out of his mouth. I moved him to the middle of the living room floor and tried to reach my parents. No luck. My Dad was the bishop at the time, so I called the bishop’s office.
“The ward Elder’s Quorum president, Bill Steele, answered. He was in a presidency meeting with Chad and Ray Garrett and had gone down to see my Dad,” Reed continued.
“The door was ajar and the phone started ringing. For some reason he walked in and answered my call. They were at our house in 10 minutes.
“John had basically been breathing his own blood and getting very little oxygen,” Reed said. “They administered to him. Chad was also a part-time EMT and he was key to stabilizing my brother.
“John spent a couple of days in the hospital. Doctors worried about brain damage but there was none. It’s a miracle that has bonded the five of us and our families for this life,” Reed said.
“I had wondered if my thoughts of recognizing them were overly influenced by my personal connection, but when I understood the extent of their involvement at our school, I knew they needed to be recognized for what they have given to the Lehi community,” he concluded.
