When I first met Sammy I wasn’t sure how to take him.  Here was this guy with tattoos in his ears, piercings in his nose and fire in his eyes asking “what’s up homes?”   Within 5 minutes I knew that I liked him.  There was this honesty about him; he put it all out there.  He was confident, cocky and generous at the same time.  He would give you whatever he had in his pocket and let you sleep in his own bed if you had no place to go.  He made sure you knew he could kick your ass if he wanted to, but he also made it clear he had your back when you needed him. 

 When his grandson Eziah was born he was so proud.  He called me up and told me how tough he was and that he looked just like his “papa”.  I never knew him outside of work so when I went to his funeral service it was very touching to see how much his family loved him and the void his death has left with them.  Like everyone he had a family that loved him.  It broke my heart when his daughter stood and spoke of how difficult it was to live with him at times but that she would miss him every day. 

Sammy ran hard and fast.  He came to work and gave all he had no matter how hard the day turned out to be.  When he was on your crew you always knew that you had two good men.   He will be missed.  At the funeral little Eziah was walking around with a little Black T-shirt that says it all:  “RIP PAPA.”

 

Brett Hinsley

Business Manager