Maureen Madigan, mother of Sam MacKenzie (Wet Dress)

Sam came into this world with a bang, you might say, weighing in at ten and a half pounds. That was the first surprise. Surprised the doc, too. All I remember is him saying, ” Quick, where is the scale!” The second surprise was that she was a girl. I was convinced I was having a boy and had the name “Samuel” picked out and ready, so “Samuel” became “Samantha.” She answers to Sam, Samuel, Sam Pants, Sammie Pie, and other variations, but almost never “Samantha!”

Sam has a talent for making friends wherever she goes. We lived in a very small town, so it’s no surprise when everyone knows who you are; but when I took her to get her permit at the DMV three towns away, it seemed like every few minutes someone was saying “hey Sam!” All these very different people kept stopping to say hello. And this didn’t just happen that day at the DMV. It seemed wherever we went, someone always knew Sam! People just seem to gravitate toward her. Maybe it’s because they can sense her natural kindness and compassion. She has always been a champion of the underdog. When she was ten years old, she started an organization called The Animal Appreciation Club (AAC). I still have the club newsletter and mission statement. She and her siblings built lemonade stands and raised money for strays, donating the proceeds to a local animal shelter. One day she brought me a turtle that a dog had chewed up. We carefully cleaned him up and used duct tape to piece him back together. She did this even though it scared her and made her a little nauseated. When something or someone needs help, Sam is at her best, a true warrior friend. (The turtle survived.)

Every time Sam gets up and plays to a crowd, I am overwhelmed by how proud I am of her. I know how hard it is for her to put herself forward like that. I know how much work is behind it, since she has never had any formal training. Hearing her voice, and what she has to say is something I will never get tired of.