Chris and Lisa Smith opened Thornton Gardens in 2001. Lisa has over 20 years experience as a Registered Nurse. With many years in emergency medicine and cardiology, it was when she was Director of Admissions for Orlando Lutheran Towers that she found her true calling; serving the elderly.
Chris and Lisa are both active in their church, First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. When deciding to open an assisited living home, they pledged to operate Thornton Gardens as a Christian home. Welcoming residents of all faiths, Chris and Lisa feel that they can express their faith by practicing Christian values in the service they give to the elderly.
The First home was built circa 1900 and had to be completely renovated with all new interior framing, wiring and plumbing.
During the long, tedious remodeling project, the contractors found, hidden between walls, some documents which included a church bulletin from 1st Presbyterian Church, dated Palm Sunday 1941.
Chris and Lisa took it as a good sign and have considered Thornton Gardens to be a blessing ever since.
