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Community Activist Audrey Smith Has Died

TWC News

A well-known community activist has died. Audrey Smith, who founded Friends and Families of Murdered Children and Victims of Violence in 1991, has died at the age of 81.

Smith was inspired to help those who lost lost loved ones to violence  after her son Richard was shot to death.  She spent  more than a decade providing both comforting families who faced tragedy as well as working on anti violence initiatives.

Bob Duffy, now President of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, knew Smith when they worked together during his time in the city police department and as mayor.

Duffy issued a statement which called Smith “a true angel” who “committed her life to telling the story behind and bringing a face to every death of a young person in Rochester.”

Duffy says Smith became “like a second mother to me” and he says he puts her on part with any leader Rochester has ever seen.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.