This Saturday, the 55-year-old Oscar winner celebrated his eldest son Trey Smith’s 31st birthday by sharing a heartfelt Instagram video, recounting the memories of his son’s birth over three decades ago.
Will shared a heartfelt caption alongside the video: “Happy Bday, T-Ball. You are responsible for some of the highest experiences of my life. You introduced me to the true definition of Love! I met God in your eyes.”
The footage, seemingly captured during his work on the audiobook for his 2021 biography, showcased Will reflecting on the day Trey entered the world. He then recited lyrics from his 1997 song “Just the Two of Us.”
On November 11, 1992, Willard Carroll Smith III made his entrance. “We called him Trey from birth because he was the third Willard Smith,” Will noted as the video commenced.
He proceeded to sing lines from the opening verse of Big Willie Style, including “That night I don’t think one wink I slept. As I slipped out my bed, to your crib I crept. Touched your head gently, felt my heart melt. ‘Cause I know I loved you more than life itself. Then to my knees, and I begged the Lord please. Let me be a good daddy, all he needs. Love, knowledge, discipline too. I pledge my life to you.”
In the video, Will acknowledged, “That’s the public depiction of Trey’s birth and my first introduction to fatherhood. But that first night was far more emotionally tumultuous than my poetic verse suggests.”
In the video, Will expressed his feelings of being overwhelmed by the responsibilities of fatherhood and recounted a poignant moment at 3 a.m. when he questioned his ability to provide and protect his son. He shared his doubts about putting food on the table and keeping the lights on, wondering if he could be strong enough to defend his child.
Will narrated how, in a vulnerable moment on his knees, he longed for his own father. He described a pivotal realization, a decision, and a firm commitment that followed. Will wiped away his tears, stood up, and gently touched Trey’s head, acknowledging that there were only two possibilities: he was determined to be the best father or face an alternative that involved not being alive.
The Instagram post garnered responses from friends and admirers, with Chance the Rapper, Busta Rhymes, and DJ Jazzy Jeff extending their birthday wishes. Jazzy Jeff affectionately wrote, “Happy birthday nephew.”
“THIS IS SO POWERFUL!! LOVE THIS,” Rhymes wrote.
Trey, the son of Will and his ex-wife Sheree Zampino, is celebrated jointly by his parents. Sheree, in an Instagram post, paid tribute to her son on his 31st birthday. Alongside a photo featuring Trey in focus, she wrote, “Happy 31st Birthday my LOVE.” In the image, Sheree and another man in the background were intentionally somewhat blurred, emphasizing the spotlight on Trey.
The Emancipation star has two more kids, son Jaden, 25, and daughter Willow, 23, with Jada Pinkett Smith.
Celebrating Will’s eldest son’s birthday, Pinkett Smith, 52, expressed her wishes on Instagram, stating, “Happy Birthday @treysmith0011!!!! You are one of the most incredible human beings I know and I love you beyond anything you could ever imagine.”