Tom Archdeacon: 'Trying to bring some good into the world'

In the big leagues he's known as a dependable reliever.

Once a star pitcher at Wright State and now a stalwart of the Houston Astros bullpen, Joe Smith is awaiting the start of his 14th Major League Baseball season.

He's appeared in 782 games and is known for his unique delivery, a cross between sidearm and submarine style.

But it's his pitch � off the mound even more so than on it � that's especially impactful.

"We're just trying to bring some good into the world," he told me the other day when discussing one of his charitable involvements.

Smith and his wife Allie LaForce � the former Miss Teen USA, an Ohio University basketball player and journalism grad and now a TNT sideline reporter known for her coverage of the NBA and college basketball' March Madness � are the highest profile sports couple in the Miami Valley.

They live in Bellbrook in the offseason, though their careers have them travelling around the country much of the year.

At present they're ensconced in West Palm Beach. Smith went to Florida for spring training and was joined by Allie when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sports world over two months ago.

Since then they have been doing some real relief work.

With the help of the Athletes and Causes, the nonprofit organization that runs their charitable ventures, they became the driving force of the Project FRONTLINE effort that has delivered over 15,000 meals from restaurants struggling through the coronavirus closures to over-taxed doctors, nurses and hospital staff.

"We're just trying to say a little thank you to those people who are making sacrifices and risking their lives for the rest of us," Smith said. "At the same time we're getting local restaurants involved and giving them some revenue so hopefully they can pay some employees and keep their doors open."

While the couple made a considerable monetary commitment to the venture, they also got support from other pro athletes and celebrities � people like fellow Astro Josh Reddick, former big leaguer Johnny Damon, Cleveland Cavalier Kevin Love, Portland Trailblazer CJ McCollum, Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona, celebrity chef Michael Symon and others � as well many everyday people.

They've helped hospitals in six states and especially in and around Houston and Cleveland, where Joe had two pitching stints and where Allie, who grew up some 40 miles away in Vermilion, once worked as a sports anchor and reporter at Fox affiliate, WJW Channel 8.

Their effort caught the imagination of many and spun off in some unlikely directions.

"A woman from Oberlin called and said, 'I don't have a restaurant, but I have 1,000 orchid plants I'd like to donate. Do you think nurses would want one?'" Allie said.

"We had them shipped to our (Athletes and Causes) headquarters in Tampa and they gave them out. And we heard stories how some nurses were in tears knowing someone cared about them."

While immersed in this project, they've continued work with their signature HelpCureHD Foundation.

The HD is for Huntington's Disease, the congenital disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain and erodes mental capacity and physical capability.

There is no cure and it is usually fatal.

Joe's grandmother died from HD complications in 2006 and his mother, Lee, a former elementary school teacher in her early 60s, was diagnosed with it eight years ago and for the past 2 { years has lived in an Alzheimer's facility near Cincinnati.

There's a 50% chance that Joe and his sister Megan could inherit the disease.

When he and Allie began the foundation, the goal was to raise awareness and provide financial backing for research. In recent years the focus has switched to helping families attempt costly in vitro fertilization with genetic testing that would help them end up with HD-free embryos to be implanted.

That not only would guarantee an HD-free child, but it would stop the devastating disease from continuing its generational chain.

They had planned to do the process themselves in April, but precautions against COVID-19 prevented those medical procedures. That's made it especially tough this month since May is Huntington's Disease Awareness Month.

They want to help families because the costs are steep. Smith said they already have spent $47,000 in their own attempt and it can be $8,000 with every doctor's visit.

"We're lucky because I play baseball, but few families can afford that," he said. "And a lot of it's not covered by insurance. It'd be emotionally devastating to know you couldn't help your child or future generations just because of finances."

He said HD is like a combination of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS:

"It's the Devil's Disease."