Even in death, the bond between Sammy and me cannot be broken. We are unbreakable and unshakable. He is the wind beneath the surviving pack’s wings and mine too.
Today marked what would have been Sammy’s 20th birthday. His life was cut short on January 30th, 2020, just five weeks shy of his 15th birthday. I’m not sure what happened, as he was completely fine the day before. I thought about that for years, but the pack and I had to press forward, carrying the torch for Sammy as we continue trotting ahead.
We put it all on the line and left it all on the field back in NYC and Puerto Rico.. Sammy did make it to Florida with us, but nine months later, he decided to never wake up again. I died with him that day.
In spite of all this fame and notoriety, he was just my best friend. Sammy was my little Budski. That is what I called him when we were alone or in our close circles.
Before I had Sammy, I could not even write a check. The ladies in my life over the years wrote them for me. But I became so inspired by Sammy and how much I loved him—and still do—that he turned me into a good writer and an incredible storyteller. He did that, not me. Now, all of my dogs have inspired me to take storytelling to a whole other level, which I have done. I am nothing without these animals. They have given my life purpose. And in return, I offered them a life of love, family, and protection.
Sammy is the reason the “Everybody Loves Sammy” online community became what it became—and still is. Sammy is the reason the DriveWithCompassion movement was formed for stray animals living in the streets of Puerto Rico and around the world. If it weren’t for him, we would’ve never ended up in Puerto Rico, where the DriveWithCompassion movement was founded.
There have been times when I ask myself if life would offer me Sammy and Patrick back, would I trade the current wolfpack for them to be alive again? And then my mind just goes blank. That is not something I could ever answer. I love my current wolfpack like a crazy man, just as much as I did and do love Sammy, Patrick, and BabyLady.
Some beings are so lit up on the inside that they shine on their exterior. Sammy was like that. And just like my lifetime hero, Muhammad Ali, shook up the world, so did Sammy.
Happy Birthday Sammy, my little Budski.. When it’s my time, I look foward to seeing you at the Rainbow Bridge so we can run and play together again.
No lives will go in vain. No pain will go unnoticed.
Sincerely,
Scott Smith,
Animal Defender and founder of DriveWithCompassion(dot)com