Matt Smallbone, pastor, former touring bassist for for KING + COUNTRY, and cousin of Joel and Luke Smallbone, has shared the heartbreaking news that his beloved mother-in-law, Robyn, has passed away in Australia following a long battle with dementia.
In a deeply personal social media post, Smallbone reflected on one of the hidden costs of building a life overseas-the pain of losing loved ones while living on the other side of the world.
"Last night, my mother-in-law, Robyn, passed away in Australia," he wrote. "One of the hardest parts of building a life on the other side of the world is knowing that, eventually, there will be moments like this. Moments when the people you love most are far away."
The pastor looked back with warmth and humour as he recalled first meeting Robyn when he was just 15 years old.
"I first met Robyn when I was 15 years old, wearing a backwards Michael Jordan cap and trying desperately to get her daughter to notice me," he joked. "She didn't. At least... not for another six years."
Years later, that teenager became Robyn's son-in-law. Smallbone said she embraced him even when his future looked uncertain.
"Somehow, despite all that, I ended up marrying Mary," he wrote. "And despite the fact that, at 23, my grand plan was to make a living as a bass player while not even owning a car, Robyn welcomed me into her family anyway."
He praised her unwavering generosity and faith, saying she made room for him "long before I'd earned it" and encouraged the young couple to follow God's calling, even though it meant living thousands of miles away from Australia.
"She made room for me long before I'd earned it. She believed in us," Smallbone wrote. "While she always wished we lived a little closer, she also gave us her blessing to build the life God had called us to on the other side of the world."
Remembering Robyn's personality, he described her as "warm, generous with the lollies, quietly funny, quirky and deeply loved by everyone who knew her."
Smallbone also opened up about the heartbreaking impact dementia had on their family, saying the disease gradually took away the woman they loved.
"The last few years have been especially hard as dementia slowly stole pieces of the woman we knew," he shared. "In one sense, we're grieving. In another, we're grateful that her long journey is over."
Mary Smallbone has already travelled to Australia to be with her family, while Matt said he would follow after speaking at OneFest, making arrangements for their children, and fulfilling his responsibilities at church.
Concluding his tribute, Smallbone thanked Robyn for believing in a young musician with big dreams and for welcoming him into her family with unconditional love.
"We'll miss you, Robyn. Thank you for welcoming a young dreamer into your family all those years ago. You were an amazing mother-in-law."
He closed with the words of Psalm 116:15: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants."
Smallbone's heartfelt tribute has resonated with many across the Christian music community, offering a poignant reminder of the enduring hope of faith, the lasting impact of a loving family, and the profound grief that accompanies saying goodbye to those who have shaped our lives.
