August 13, 1983 ~ April 10, 2020 (age 36)
DR. CRAIG DAVID SMALLWOOD
It is with deep and profound sorrow that we share the sudden passing of Dr. Craig David Smallwood of Milton, Massachusetts in the early morning of Friday, April 10, 2020.
Craig was born August 13, 1983 in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada to David and Sheryl Smallwood. He was the joy of their lives in so many wonderful and loving ways. Craig lived his life, all too brief, with passion, excellence and courageous strength of character in everything he put his mind to. His impact on this world was vast and not limited to his friends and family. He was a man of integrity and kindness who accomplished much in his short life.
From a young age, Craig was a gifted athlete participating in hockey, track and field, and curling. He discovered and pursued a passion for rowing at the age of 15 joining the Rowing Club in Midland, Ontario. Further advancing his rowing career, Craig spent several years rowing for Ridley College Rowing Club in St. Catherine’s Ontario, where he gained recognition and was selected to join the Canadian Junior National Rowing Team. There Craig won the Canadian Speed Orders to compete at the 2001 Junior World Championships (1x) in Duisburg, Germany. His international recognition did not stop there: 2002 Royal Canadian Henley Champion (Senior 1x); 2002 Canada Rowing Male Sculler of the Year award; and Won Gold at the 2003 U23 World Championships (8+) in Belgrade, Serbia. In 2002 Craig’s passion and gift for rowing earned him a scholarship to Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. He was an outstanding rower for the Northeastern University Rowing Team, rowing port where he and his crewmates won many races over four years. While attending Northeastern he was awarded the Parker Award (Outstanding Freshman) in 2003 and was a 3-time varsity athlete. Following graduation, Craig joined the Northeastern University Rowing Alumni (NURA) crew, completing in the Head of the Charles Regatta and being a part of the self-acclaimed 617 Club (winning 6 Golds in the same event over a 7-year span).
Craig graduated Northeastern in 2007 having earned a Bachelor’s degree in cardiopulmonary science with a concentration in respiratory therapy. Craig’s career began at Boston Children’s Hospital as an entry-level Respiratory Therapist in 2007 and in short order became a highly competent and compassionate clinician with exceptional technical skills. He soon won the admiration and respect of all his peers and clinicians throughout the Intensive Care Unit. He always strived to understand the scientific and physiologic principles underlying the diseases he encountered in order to provide the best care to his patients. His intellectual curiosity, natural teaching ability and leadership were capitalized as he generously shared his knowledge and accumulating wisdom. Craig’s innovative and inquisitive spirit was widely recognized and he was appointed the Coordinator of Clinical Respiratory Research in 2010, a role he approached with unbounded enthusiasm and rigor. In 2018 Craig earned his PhD in Bioengineering at Northeastern University and in 2019 he was given a faculty academic appointment at Harvard Medical School as Assistant Professor of Anesthesia. As the coordinator of a multidisciplinary research group, he shepherded numerous and diverse projects with intelligence, focus, and commitment ensuring that exceptional results were always achieved. His high-quality work is indelibly archived in over 30 original papers, some award winning. Craig’s national influence over clinical practice was well demonstrated by his frequent invites to present and as a member of an editorial board. He was passionate about mentorship of the next generation of researchers and clinical innovators, and guided many on to award winning publications. Craig was a true scholar, ambassador, innovator and teacher. Before his untimely passing, Craig was working on the design and deployment of respiratory assist devices for treatment of COVID-19 patients in the developing world where ventilators are scarce. The first five prototype units are currently undergoing testing at Korle Bu Hospital in Ghana, Africa.
Craig met his beloved wife, Erika E. (Martin) Smallwood in their first year at Northeastern University in 2002. Their love story was one that started out as being close friends but eventually developed into a deep and abiding love, which then led to their joyous marriage on May 23, 2009. In their early years of marriage, they were blessed to be able to travel to Croatia, Brazil, Hawaii, The Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Together, they built a wonderful life filled with friends and family, first in Jamaica Plain and then in Milton, Massachusetts where Craig, with his usual vision and passion, renovated their home from the ground up. Their joy was complete when their daughter Sadie Anna was born in 2015, followed by their son, Maxwell Craig in 2018. He was a wonderful, caring, hands-on Daddy to his children and a loving and devoted husband to Erika, especially during her battle with cancer in 2018. Erika, Sadie and Max adored him completely and without reservation.
His family and his faith in his Savior, Jesus Christ was the cornerstone of his life and he served both his family and church with his typical passion and dedication. Craig was an active and vital member of Anchor Church in Boston. He served on the Board of Trustees, led men’s discussion events called “The Roundtable,” hosted worship gatherings, volunteered in Anchor Kids, and spoke on occasion to the Anchor community. He was a servant leader with a heart of gold who deeply cared about the well-being of every member of the church, from the youngest to the oldest. He was an inspiration and will be sorely missed as a friend and brother in Christ.
The rich legacy Craig leaves behind is one that will be honored and cherished forever.
Craig leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving wife Erika; much loved son Maxwell and daughter Sadie; his beloved parents David and Sheryl (Pogue) Smallwood of Barrie, Ontario, Canada; his beloved sister Sara and her husband Mark Fisk of Calgary Alberta, Canada; his loving parents in-law Bradford, R. Martin, Jr. and Elizabeth M. (Bonk) Martin of Agawam, Massachusetts and brother-in-law Bradford “Duke” Martin III; his beloved grandmother June Pogue of Aurora, Ontario, and loving aunts, uncles and cousins in Canada.
For more information about memorial gifts and supporting Craig’s family please visit:
www.craigsmallwood.com
Due to the current global crisis, a memorial service will be held at Bethany Assembly of God at 580 Main Street, Agawam, Massachusetts at a future date.