Todays the day we mark Sam’s organ donation. 15 years ago today Sam’s  strong organs helped save the lives of 4 other people. In that incredibly difficult moment we know what Sam would have wanted. We knew because we’d discussed it. What we’ve learned is that the most important factor in organ donation is that the family knows what the would be donor would have wanted.

While we deeply hope that the situation never comes up in your family please honor Sams memory by discussing organ donation with your family. It can mean the world to someone.

Thank you !

nite all, nite sam

-me

Our beautiful , fun and amazing son, brother and friend Sam left this earth 15 years ago today. He’d been down in Flordia with friends doing what he did best.. having fun. There hasn’t been a moment in the last 15 years that we haven’t been thinking of him and missing him. Still he’s in our lives.. everywhere and every day

This day we usually gather with friends and hike Bolton together, then come back to the house for a potluck, stories and making SamStones. Last year we came together virtually because of the pandemic. This year, we’re in Portland visiting Gabe. Max and Becky are here with us too. We asked all of Sams family and friends doing something that calls to them to remember Sam on this day.  I know people were hiking, running, lifting a glass or taking a puff .. whatever moved them to remember our boy.

We took a long drive in the Columbia River gorge.. and took a really nice hike up Coyote ridge on the Washington side of the river. .  The drive out there was so beautiful. We stopped at several gorgeous waterfalls.

We stopped at Coyote Ridge trail just past White Salmon on the Washington side of the gorge. It had turned cool and grey.. a perfect day for a walk.. The terrain was green and rocky.. hardly any trees..
 we stopped at a nice spot to place a samstone and drink a Red Bull sam.. we each poured some  out for our boy.

all day long I had little bits of Sam’s magic. I woke in the car to hearing “If I ever leave this world Alive” by Flogging Molly .. one of Sam’s favorite songs..   That was the last shirt he wore.

near the top of our hike I found these three small rocks together.. two stones flanking a tiny heart

and a little beyond on the trip I found this.. it’s a maple seed.. a tiny helicopter called a ‘Samara’

from there we walked back down the hill and drove back an hour to portland.. such a nice drive. 

We fineshed the day with a great Mexican meal from Guero’s ..

It has been a very good day.. Hope you found a nice way to remember Sam too. If you feel like it, please let us know what you did to remember him too. Thanks for being with us on this very long trip

we love you Sam !

nite all. nite Sam

-me

Today was a wonderful day here in Portland… It’s also very hard day of my memory. It was this night 15 years ago that we Got the call that Sam had been in an accident… I’ve changed my life forever

15 years later he still very much in our hearts and in our lives.

This year we are out at Gabe’s in Portland. Max and Becky have come in to. So we spent the day together… And tomorrow will take a hike to think of Sam, We invite everyone to take some time tomorrow to think about saying… Take a hike, play some music… Have a drink whatever moves you.

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Our day here together was great… Tehan and I started the morning with a Run up Mt. Tabor

after at 4.3 mile run we came home and went to the bakery… Then walked to GabÉ’s house for breakfast.

And early afternoon we all went out to the Columbia river to 1000 acre dog park… We met up with Tucker and his dog Tito. We had such a great hike there too. The dogs loved it!

From there we headed back to Gage. Our idea was to have our Thanksgiving dinner tonight. ‘Diane and I went one way to get Ty and Max and Gabe one another to get Norwegian sandwiches… It was a delicious combo.

We loved being there all together.

Max and Gabe and ‘Diane worked on fixing a leak in the dishwasher… Well I watched on encouragingly :-)

GabÉ’s neighbor Ted made a cranberry upside down cake about it over which was really great. He’s a really nice guy

This was our Thanksgiving together… We had a samstone on the table. He’s here with us in our hearts.

Please keep sam in your thoughts and hearts.

we miss you my son !

nite all, nite sam

-me



Today was a travel day. We left home at 4:30 this morning. Kyle drove us to the airport And we got have you have the longest lunar eclipse and 600 years.

and we flew across the entire country to see your kids. We landed about 1130…Then Max and Becky landed just about an hour after.

We drove out to our Airbnb near Mount Tabor and get settled in.

And we went out to see gabé and our grand puppy nova !.

Once Gabe was home all of us walked over to a nearby food truck stop. Most everybody got “Binghamton Speedy’s”… I got a really good burrito. It was really fun to be out. Nova was so well behaved!

Once we got home… More of Gabe and Shean’s friend started showing up. Gabe and Sam and Max and Becky are and a bunch of these kids are all going to an all night concert tonight… Sounds so fun. It was like an instant party

Now it’s late and I can hardly keep my eyes open… More tomorrow from the left coast

nite all, nite sam

-me