Melissa Smith, who was the subject of a 2013 Capital Gazette series called “Saving Melissa,” died Saturday at Gilchrist Hospice Care in Annapolis from complications arising from transverse myelitis. She was 41.

Ms. Smith, who beat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma twice, was diagnosed the first time at 22 and second at 26. Later, she was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, which paralyzed her from the chest down by the time she was 28. The disease involves inflammation of the spinal cord.

“Saving Melissa” was a three-part series that chronicled Ms. Smith’s journey. It spoke about how her transverse myelitis began as a tingling in her toe and slowly traveled up her body, the ways Ms. Smith’s life changed after diagnosis, the little victories, but also the financial strain of treatment alongside regular costs like rent and health insurance.

“She was just so positive, like no matter what was thrown her way, she could be in the hospital, and she spent many, many, many days in the hospital, many weeks, even months. She’s been on life support twice, and she still just always was radiant and positive and hopeful,” Stephanie Smith, her sister, said. “[She] always found a will to fight.”

Ms. Smith was born at Anne Arundel Medical Center and raised by her parents Tina Smith, an addiction counselor, and Russel “Rusty” Smith III, who works at the Department of the Navy. The couple’s four children grew up in Stevensville but over time much of the family migrated across the Bay Bridge into Anne Arundel County.

“I took her to Florida last year, and when things kind of took a turn for her in terms of her health, she loved a beach, she loved the sun. She absolutely hated the winter,” Stephanie Smith said. “We spent many childhood summers in Florida as a family, and being able to go back to the same Hollywood beach that we spent many, many summers together as kids just last year was something that I’m so grateful we were able to do. It was the first time her body touched the ocean in 14 years.”

“She had a heart that was so big and would help anyone. Her kindness — when people would meet her for the first time, everyone would come to say to me, ‘My god, she just beams kindness.’ Everybody who met her loved her,” Tina Smith said.

Ms. Smith enjoyed shopping trips and singalongs with her sister when they were in the car. “She made me laugh every single day, she does this. I don’t care if we could be in the grocery store, she’ll start dancing in the grocery store, she just made the best of her life and mine too,” Tina said.

An animal lover, she often spent time at the SPCA. Her mother said she would stop to pet any dog she saw, no matter where she happened to be.

Ms. Smith attended Kent Island High School and Towson University, where she graduated in 2006 with a degree in Spanish. She was accepted into the nursing program at Anne Arundel Community College, having been inspired by those who helped her through her cancer treatments, but she was unable to attend due to illness.

Ms. Smith worked as a bartender while in college at The Whiskey in Annapolis, which closed in 2013. The Grilled Lincolns, who performed there, posted a tribute to her Sunday on social media, with a video of Ms. Smith singing along to one of their songs.

A public viewing will take place Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, with a public funeral service at 2 p.m.

In addition to her parents and sister, Ms. Smith is survived by Stephanie Smith and Jennifer Smith, both of Anne Arundel County; Colton Smith, of El Paso, Texas; grandfathers Chester Emrick of Stevensville and Russel Smith, Jr. of Denton; and numerous nieces and nephews, including Brayden Smith, who Ms. Smith helped raised.

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