Seems like it is fairly common on graduation day to have thunder and lightning and heavy rain. Well, that was true last Saturday in our home town of Allen. Forty-one Seniors and all the families and friends you can think of filled the Allen gym to over fl ow status. That was fi tting as this will be the gym’s last hurrah as Allen’s main gym as its replacement sits gloriously two blocks away nearly finished and ready for our next epoch in basketball (and graduations).

One boy was a standout from far back. His name was Sam Brown. Sam had a medical problem even back then that hampered his style a little but not much. He had something called Friedreich’s Ataxia. This is some sort of rare nervous system problem that has no cure, shortens life expectancy and interferes with a person’s ability to walk and their other motor skills. Sam didn’t let that slow him down too much and his positive personality led all to think that maybe this would be alright. But it wasn’t.

Sam had a lot of get up and go and fortunately for all, his classmates were all for him. I think everyone one in there loved that boy. We all did. On graduation day, one senior, Valedictorian Jensen Peay, took time in his Valedictory to tell us a personal story about he and Sam. Jensen lives way out in the country and took Sam home with him as kids often do in the 8^th grade. They took Jensen’s ATV out for a spin, looking for wild game and the wild pigs that live in the area. It’s a shame they didn’t fi ll the ATV up first for about 3 miles out in the wilds of Pontotoc County they ran out of gas. No phone and they were all alone. Sam didn’t have his “wheels” and he rejected being left out there alone while Jensen walked the 3 miles back to get gas. The wild hogs are pretty vicious around here.

The upshot of the story, Sam’s buddy Jensen carried Sam all the way back. But that’s just something anyone in the Senior Class of 2019 would have done for Sam. Everyone loved Sam. This was spelled out a few years ago when a “fund raising” pie supper was held at the school. Everyone was startled at the size of the crowd, how many pies were brought and how much money was raised to help this youngster. I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of my hometown than that night. When it was all over, a brave and thankful Sam took the microphone and said his thank you to us. He said this: “If I can ever do anything for any of you, just let me know.” At the time I thought, “What a great and loving kid this is.” And I knew Same meant every word. He gave back more to his family of well-wishers that night, with those words, that what we had given him.

Yes, Sam made it to his senior year but time and this strange disease took him last August. A chair sat draped with a large picture, a collection of beautiful roses, his diploma and his graduation robe in the front row of his graduating seniors. Love was poured out on Sam’s memory last Saturday but nothing more than his preceding years at Allen Schools. Thanks’ seniors. And thanks to you Sam.

Be sure and go to Church Sunday.

Wayne Bullard, DPh

waynebullard@sbcglobal.net