I woke up yesterday morning late. I had to get ready for work. I had just gotten back from a great weekend in Easton, Pennsylvania with my sorority sisters and before that, a week down in North Carolina with one of my pledge sisters and best friends. I was coming off a great high of happiness from the past weeks.

My job is being an attendant for my younger baby sister with Down Syndrome. I was getting her ready and into the car when I glanced at my phone. There was a message in my sorority’s GroupMe of a screenshot of a tweet. It read, “God gave my best friend and soulmate his wings today, I need you to look out for me and Jane up there, I know you can see this and I love you Sam.” It was a tweet from one of my friends, Sam's girlfriend. I kept thinking to myself this has to be a joke, this isn’t real. Sam must be joking around and Cierra must be playing along. Nothing could ever happen to Sam. Not Sam who always befriended everyone, not Sam who always put a smile on everyone’s face because of his own and absolutely not Sam who went out of his way to put others first. No, Sam was not gone, Sam is not gone. I texted three of my sisters asking if this was real and no one knew. Not until Sam’s fraternity brothers started tweeting about it was it confirmed. I was sitting in the car with my mom and baby sister and all I could do was cry. I had only been friends with Sam for a semester but it didn’t feel that way.

No matter how long you were friends with Sam, he made it feel as if you had known each other forever. The first night I met him was during syllabus week and we started talking in Spanish together. It made me so happy because barely anyone I knew was fluent in Spanish, like me. From there on out, I saw him every weekend. My sisters and I always hung out at his fraternity. Sam was the life of the party, dancing up a storm, singing and being goofy. You couldn’t help but laugh with him or just smile. But, don’t try to out dance him because he’s good. Or I guess was. I hate that having to change is to was. It doesn’t feel right. I don’t think Sam’s gone. He shouldn’t be. I keep trying to convince myself that he is still here with us all to keep from crying.

When I found out that he had fallen at Moonrise Festival which had caused brain bleeding that had lead to his passing, I lost it. Sam was a teddy bear, teddy bears don’t get hurt or get brain bleeds. My heart ached for all of his brothers in Theta Xi, his girlfriend and family members. I couldn’t and can’t comprehend why such an amazing soul had to leave and go to heaven.

First, I just want everyone to take a minute and text, call, email or facetime the ones you love. Let them know how much you care, cherish your time with them.

Second, let Sam remind us how short time is here on this Earth and also that we should be kind and loving to all and anyone who we meet. Show them that we care and don’t judge and be selfless. Sam once found my NorthFace for me after I’d left it somewhere in their frat house one night and made sure I got it back. Honestly, I don’t know many people that would go out of their way to do that for someone else. I looked back on our conversation today about that, trying to hold on to the memories I have of him and especially remembering calling him emmanuel that night for some reason. He got so mad at me and told me that I had to stop calling him that or that everyone was going to catch on and he would be known that way.

Point blank; love more, be happy more, do the things you wish and dream about all night long, don’t be sad because you don’t have something; go out there and get it, make people happy, be a friend to all and most importantly, live like you’re dying because you don’t know when your last breath will be.

I still can't fathom that you’re gone and I know it’s only going to be harder for everyone once we are back at Ship, but I just pray that God guides us through this and we all continue to stick together for support. Thank you Sam Cabrera for being one amazing, selfless and happy friend. You will be missed every day. We love you!

This is the link for the Go Fund Me page for Sam, please feel free to donate to help his family! Anything is greatly appreciated. https://www.gofundme.com/256mz76s