After learning her former youth pastor was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, Kristina Ghramm was devastated.

Sean Smith, a teacher and coach at Decatur High School, had been there for her when she was sick in the hospital during high school and feeling down.

“He was just like, ‘what do you need right now? Do you need me to pray with you?’ Ghramm recalled, adding that when she felt like she was breaking, he understood and prayed with her. “He did that for a lot of people I think — he’d show up when they were low.”

Low such as when Allie Watson, then 18, found out her 15-year-old sister died.

Watson and Ghramm were in Smith’s youth group together at the formerly known Palasades Church, now LifeWay Church.

“About two weeks after she passed, we were supposed to go on a huge road trip down to New Mexico with our youth group and I wasn’t gonna go for obvious reasons but everyone wanted me to go,” Watson remembered. “Sean actually paid with his own money, as far as I know, for me to go … I went on the trip and it was very therapeutic and Sean made it a point to really make me feel supported.”

Later, he spearheaded a garden at the church in honor of Watson’s sister.

But it was little and big acts of kindness like those that left Ghramm wanting to help Smith during this trying time in his life.

Smith was diagnosed in December 2014 and was told he had little time left.

“We didn’t contact him right away because it had been a really long time and I didn’t know what to say,” Ghramm said, referencing her brother Jeff Ghramm. “It was just kind of like, everyone’s banging on his door to be able to see him. I wanted to make sure it was helpful and we had nothing to give at that time.”

However, on Monday, Ghramm launched a fundraiser at the Arthur Murray Dance School where she works as a studio director.

Of each dance lesson, $25 will be donated towards the fundraiser. And all of the proceeds of a $79 introductory sampler for new members will also be donated. As of Tuesday, they had reached 185 lessons of their goal of 200, or $5,000.

That’s how Watson and her husband found themselves in the middle of the dance floor counting “one, two, three” over and over.

“It’s never going to be enough,” Watson said. “But it feels wonderful to be able to come here and see my friends and help out in any way.”

Ghramm also contacted local restaurants Billy McHale’s, Buffalo Wild Wings and Scoreboard who agreed to donate 10 percent of proceeds from Friday, Oct. 2. Billy McHale’s and Buffalo Wild Wings require patrons to have a slip of paper noting the fundraiser, while Scoreboard’s will donate all proceeds that are collected after 9 p.m.

Smith was grateful when he found out what Ghramm planned and hopes to make it to all three restaurants but is definitely planning on going to Billy McHale’s.

“I’m very very grateful for all the support I’ve had,” Smith said, noting the amazing support from the community and Federal Way Public Schools.

Since he was at his worst in January, Smith has had 16 different bouts of chemotherapy, which has shrunk most of his tumors in his pancreas and liver. After making the switch from Cancer Care Alliance to Swedish Cancer Institute, Smith got a different, more aggressive doctor who agreed to operate when the time comes. This one also didn’t give him a time estimate.

“People have been praying for me since it’s happened,” he said. “Prayer has been a major input in what I believe is part of my healing.”

Also, staying busy.

Smith has continued to teach and coach at Decatur High School and is currently chemo-free and will be for another six weeks.

“When I was diagnosed, I was concerned about what I would miss,” he said, mentioning his two sons in their early 20s. “I know there’s weddings and relationships, grandchildren … I always wanted to be around for that stuff.”

But that fear makes him fight much harder and the despair he initially felt isn’t there anymore. He’s also been able to help others who have reached out to him and are going through the same thing.

“My whole outlook on life is to be real grateful about every moment of the day, hopeful about the future, whether that’s here or eternity, and use both of those to help others change and focus their minds on doing something similar,” he said. “Without that hope, I don’t know how you would want to get through it because there’s difficult days.”

To donate towards Ghramm’s fundraiser, contact Arthur Murray Dance School for an introductory sampler at 253-941-1841 or pick up a 10 percent donation restaurant slip at the school, located at 32724 Pacific Highway S. in Federal Way. More information can be found at www.facebook.com/ArthurMurrayFW or pugetsound.dance.

Allie and Chris Watson during their dance lesson at Arthur Murray Dance School. RAECHEL DAWSON, the Mirror