Tanner’s mom from ‘Love on the Spectrum’ shares scene that made her ‘uncomfortable’
Tanner Smith, one of the breakout personalities from the Netflix series “Love on the Spectrum,” encapsulates his life philosophy with a simple phrase in his Instagram bio: “Bring the joy.”
Tanner Smith, one of the breakout personalities from the Netflix series “Love on the Spectrum,” encapsulates his life philosophy with a simple phrase in his Instagram bio: “Bring the joy.”
At 26, Smith brings that same buoyant spirit to his job in maintenance at the Shepherd Hotel in downtown Clemson, South Carolina, where he greets guests with warmth and enthusiasm.
In a recent phone interview, his mother, Nicci Smith — a former nurse turned fitness instructor — recalls casually stumbling upon her son in the middle of a FaceTime call with actor Mark Wahlberg.
Wahlberg, she explains, has a daughter enrolled at Clemson University, and Tanner struck up a conversation with him in the lobby of the Shepherd Hotel, where they became fast friends.
“Tanner can talk to anyone,” Nicci tells TODAY, her voice brimming with pride. There was a time when Tanner — diagnosed with autism at 2-and-a-half — wouldn’t make eye contact with teachers and peers. As child, while the other kids rushed to the slide, Tanner would quietly drift toward the swings.
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