April 16th will mark the one year anniversary of the passing of Sam Mehaffey. It’s hard to believe it was 12 entire months ago that our school lost such a radiant and unique person. While the anniversary could cause the grief of last year to resurface, it also presents an opportunity for us to remember all the good times shared with Sam.

I first met Sam when he came to Wylie in 8th grade. He sat at my lunch table and immediately added a fun and positive presence. As a junior high boy, he was so intelligent and thought about things differently than everyone else. Continuing on through high school, that was one of his most defining traits. Sam just knew…stuff. He could shoot off facts about anything and everything.

My favorite memory with Sam is from the freshmen theater class we had together. He and I had a handshake that ended with violent dabbing, and we did it so often the teacher banned dabbing from the classroom. I love holding on to fun memories like this, and I encourage you to keep the wonderful parts of Sam at the forefront of your mind as the anniversary comes around.

Tuesday, April 16th, there will be a memorial service at Grover Nelson Park from 6 – 9 pm. The memorial will be a celebration of the person Sam was and the legacy he left in our community. One of his closest friends, Jalen Martinez, says, “Sam was happiness in so many people’s lives; I hope the memorial can bring back some of that joy.”