'Stages': Brother turns tragedy into grief support after his 17-year-old sister dies in car crash

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Coping with the loss of a loved one can be a difficult and deeply personal experience.

One North Carolina man who lost his younger sister in a tragic accident has turned his grief into a resource designed to help others navigate their own loss.

Meredith Lynn Smith was 17 years old when she died in a car crash on July 26, 2012. According to her brother, Zack Smith, Meredith was a high-achieving student-athlete with big dreams for the future.

"She had aspirations to go to Princeton," Smith said. "She would have been the first four-year varsity cheerleader at our high school. She was an accomplished gymnast. She was just amazing." Smith was 18 years old when his sister died.

More than a decade later, he still vividly remembers the moment he learned she was gone.

"My mom came running in my room in the middle of the night screaming, 'Meredith is dead' over and over again," Smith said. "When I went out to the living room and saw the state troopers there, it really hit, and I understood what was going on. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."

In the days following Meredith's death, Smith said he struggled to process the loss.

"For the first few days, you're in a fog," he said. "You don't really know what's up and down. You don't sleep. You can't eat."

As he worked through his grief, Smith realized that people dealing with loss often need someone who truly understands their experience.

That realization inspired him to create "Stages," an anonymous peer-to-peer grief support app.

"On top of therapy, it basically matches people with others who have experienced the same type of loss," Smith said.

The platform connects users with people facing similar circumstances, offering a space for conversation and support. "You kind of just want somebody to talk you through your grief and know that it's coming from a good place," Smith said.

Smith spent nights and weekends developing the app, which people across the United States and Canada are now using. For Smith, the project is about more than technology.

It is a way to honor Meredith's memory while helping others through some of life's most difficult moments.

"I just wanted to help people and help them through their grief experience, just like I wish somebody had for me," Smith said.

As Stages continues to grow, Smith hopes the platform can provide comfort, connection and understanding to those facing loss - ensuring that no one has to grieve alone.

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