Samuel Cooley

My beautiful baby brother, Samuel Reed Cooley, succumbed to his addiction and passed away peacefully on May 5th, 2020 at the age of 27. More than siblings, we were teammates through all that we endured together, our love sustained each other.  I have always felt he saved me. Being Sam’s big sister gave me an outlet, something to hold dear and a sense of purpose throughout a turbulent childhood. Sam’s belief in my goodness and worth, having him look up to me, has made me who I am.

Over the past two years, Sam thrived in recovery and was able to reach his potential as his true self. He got fit and healthy, completed his college degree in Marketing, learned to drive, built a new community of friends in West Palm Beach, won employee of the month at a private aviation company where he worked, and even secured a new job set to start this summer. He was hopeful and positive about his future, and I will remember him as the most generous, silly, pure-hearted, and gregarious Yankee fan who always made me laugh.

I am eternally proud of who he is and what he overcame. It’s a massive challenge to recover from this addiction for any period of time, but Sam did, and I am so grateful he lived out his last years with courage and intention. Though my heart is shattered, I take comfort that we expressed our love to each other openly and frequently, and that we truly cherished every moment and memory.

Please share a memory or story of Sam below as well as upload any photos you have of my brother. No memory will be too big or too small – We are hoping to preserve the everyday snapshots and moments of his life. For those who do not have stories or memories, you can also offer sympathies, write a poem, share what Sam meant to you or express yourself any way you want. It would mean a lot to us to have these specific stories and memories from his friends and loved ones in writing.