OCCUPATION: Lifeguard

FAMILY: Sister Nicole Smith

PERSONALITY: Tara is a selfless, warm-hearted, and responsible woman.

HISTORY:

          Tara and her sister Nicole always got along very well and were very close. The two of them both made the decision to move to Sunrise Bay together.

While going through lifeguard training, Tara met Derek Anderson and they immediately became very good friends. She also befriended his brother Jake. After Jake was severely injured after a hurricane swept through town and slammed his car into a tree, Tara and Derek became closer than ever. Jake was thrown into a deep coma and has been in one ever since. Dereks obsessive psycho ex-wife Carly secretly had Tara kidnapped. During this time, he thought she was dead. One night Derek slept with Carly and she became pregnant. Tara was eventually rescued and she was devastated to learn that Carly was pregnant. Carly eventually gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Maci. Tara eventually figured out that Carly was behind the kidnapping and revealed it all to Derek. Carly went psycho and abducted Tara into a speeding car. Tara tried to take control of the wheel and swerved into a bridge. Carly was thrown out into the cold waters below. Though they never found her body, she was pronounced dead.

          Tara and Derek got back together. Tara vowed to be the mother to Maci that she would never have. Derek eventually proposed and she accepted. Tara is still in awe of finding who she believes is the perfect man for her. She is happily planning their wedding.