Unsung hero: Hartselle native featured in upcoming King + Country film

Story by Connie Pearson 

Photos by Evin Photography  

When former Hartselle resident, Kay Dekalb Smith, befriended a family who had just moved into her neighborhood, she never dreamed her acts of kindness would be portrayed in a movie 30 years later. 

The movie “Unsung Hero” will be released on April 26, documenting the life of Helen Smallbone, wife of David and mother of seven children who moved from Australia to Brentwood, Tenn. in the early 1990s.  

Shortly after the Smallbones arrived in America, they discovered that the job their husband and father had been promised was not going to materialize. Desperate for money to survive, flyers were distributed at a nearby school offering the services of their family members for babysitting, ironing, leaf raking, housecleaning or pulling weeds. When Kay’s daughter brought one of the flyers home, Kay was motivated to help and showed up at Smallbone home with two bags of groceries. Helen, then pregnant with her seventh child, opened the door to Kay, and a friendship began that continues today. Helen’s unwavering faith in God’s provision, her overwhelming gratitude and her reliance on God’s guidance were constant sources of inspiration for Kay. After dropping her two daughters off at school, Kay began visiting regularly, often folding clothes while Helen ironed to make money. The Smiths hired the oldest Smallbone daughter, whom they called “Beck,” to babysit. Kay’s most frequent contribution was a box of cereal, toilet paper and soap, a gift that she left on their back porch often. The Smallbones began referring to her as “Auntie Kay.” 

Fast forward a few years, and “Beck” became known to many as Rebecca St. James, a Christian pop rock recording artist. She has a Grammy and three Dove awards to her credit and is also a recognized actress and author. She has sold almost two million albums and has had nine singles to hit #1 on Christian radio stations. Two of her brothers, Luke and Joel, are widely known as the contemporary Christian duo, For King & Country. The duo have also racked up numerous Grammy and Dove awards. To read more about the mom of these amazing musicians, check out Behind the Lights: The Extraordinary Adventure of a Mum and Her Family, a memoir written by Helen Smallbone, Lisa Stilwell and Rebecca St. James. 

Kay Dekalb Smith’s role in the “Unsung Hero” movie will be played by Candace Cameron Bure of “Full House” and Hallmark movie fame. Kay has a personality to match her red hair and has entertained audiences with her own brand of wit, music and charm for many years. She was once dubbed “the Carol Burnett of Christian entertainment.” Fittingly, Candace will don a red wig for the part. In an intriguing side note, the Smallbones said there was never an indication that anyone else ever received one of their flyers – only Kay. 

Photo by the Hollywood Reporter

Kay said her years in Hartselle had a big impact on her early life. The Dekalb family moved to Hartselle in 1960, when Kay was six years old. Her father worked at Redstone Arsenal and learned from a friend that Hartselle was a great place to rear children. Kay learned about acts of kindness to others by watching her mother Jan reach out to children living in the housing projects. Jan invited them to vacation bible school and loaded her own car to transport them. She often returned later with bags of clothes and groceries to homes where she recognized the most needs. Jan was a nurses’ aide at the former Hartselle Hospital and later worked at the Lurleen Wallace Developmental Center on Highway 31 in Decatur teaching life skills to mentally challenged adults. 

Kay graduated from Morgan County High School in 1972, the same year she was chosen Miss Alabama Teenager. The following year, she was crowned Miss Birmingham. In 1982, Kay married Ed Smith, who is now the President of Williamson College in Franklin, Tenn. They have two daughters and five grandchildren.  

Joel Smallbone makes his directorial debut with “Unsung Hero,” a film co-authored by him and Richard Ramsey. Drawing from the real-life experiences of the Smallbone family, the narrative revolves around the lead character played by Smallbone himself, embodying his father, David Smallbone. Daisy Betts portrays Helen. The ensemble cast includes Jonathan Jackson, Kirrilee Berger, Lucas Black, Terry O’Quinn and Hillary Scott. Behind the scenes, producers Justin Tolley, Josh Walsh and Luke Smallbone steer the production.