If you spent a day working behind the news desk at KPRC 2 in Houston in 2025, chances are you heard the phone ring with a familiar caller ID: “DONALD SMITH.”
When we answered, his request was as consistent as the calls themselves: “Tell me the national day.”
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Whoever picked up would quickly open Google, search “national day today,” and share whichever holiday appeared.
It wasn’t as if he was calling on Christmas or Thanksgiving. The holidays were almost always niche. A few of my favorites included National Polka Dot Day (Jan. 22), National Lego Day (Jan. 28) and National Key Lime Pie Day (Sept. 26).
Sometimes he called once. Other times, he called a few times — just to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. He carefully wrote each one down, asking questions to understand what every day represented.
Afterward, he’d simply say, “Alright, thank you,” and the conversation would end.
Then, one day in February 2026, the calls suddenly stopped.
After a few days, we grew concerned. Without even realizing it, telling Donald Smith the national day had become a routine we all had grown attached to.
We did some digging, and what we feared was confirmed.
KPRC 2’s Christian Hudspeth searched online and found an obituary for a Donald Smith in Houston. He had passed away on Valentine’s Day at the age of 99 — less than two weeks before he would have turned 100.
Kendra Mackey, our morning planning editor who had become a regular voice on the other end of Smith’s calls, reached out to a relative. They confirmed that their loved one was indeed the man who had quietly become an indirect member of the KPRC 2 family.
We didn’t know much about him personally, but his devotion to our station touched us all. The fact that we could give him information he found meaningful was rewarding — no matter how trivial the holidays sometimes seemed. His small yet steady presence on the phone line was something we hadn’t realized we’d come to cherish.
Earlier today, as we sat behind the desk talking about Smith, Christian pulled up the national day for Feb. 26 — which would have been his 100th birthday.
Alongside a few predictably lighthearted observances — National Chili Day, National Toast Day and National Small Dog Day — one stood out in a way that felt almost cosmic:
National Letter to an Elder Day.
So, whether it’s a parent, grandparent, neighbor or even a persistent caller to your local news station, let this be your sign to reach out to the older people in your life.
Even the smallest exchange — a call, an email, a text — can make someone’s day a little brighter, yours included.
Here’s to Donald Smith. Thank you for the joy you brought us and for reminding our community that every day holds something worth celebrating.