Sam was born June 14, 1973 and grew up the middle child of five on Third Cliff in Scituate, Massachusetts. Sensitive, curious, sweet and funny, Sam was a dear big and little brother to his siblings. An integral part of family games, he often created imaginary worlds in play and was forever part of escapades up and down ‘the cliff’ and seawall which was home. Sam was creative and loved music. He played guitar, accordion, ukulele and keyboards. In his twenties, Sam wrote and performed with friends in several rock bands. He also spent many an evening jamming with family at home and out at open mics in Cambridge and Somerville - he was known to compose ditties that are sung by his siblings to this day. Sam’s vast knowledge of music and literature spanned genres and decades – from Pink Floyd to Édith Piaf, John Prine to Jacques Brel. He read voraciously and wrote occasionally. He could call to mind quotes from books and movies easily and insert them into conversations at perfectly timed moments. Often, Sam would be found muttering “Hemingway…” in favor of “anyway…” when a conversation lagged.
Sam’s spirit was an adventurous one. He took a solo bicycle trip down the east coast in his youth, ending in Georgia and then working on a lobster boat there at the time of the Perfect Storm. He also travelled to Japan and Germany, staying with friends from college and becoming part of their families while there. In Japan, he and his friend stopped by a sibling’s school to show off ‘the American’. The young schoolchildren were so taken by Sam’s appearance that they each claimed a finger, ten children dragging him stumbling together through the schoolyard as their prize. Sam spent months volunteering at Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary in Gainesville, Florida, caring for surrendered monkeys and creating habitats for them, often from his own designs. He relished hard physical challenges and was ready to help with any kind of job that needed doing. He generously gave his time and shared more than a few laughs with his family and friends on house projects – working together towards a shared goal on a carpentry or masonry undertaking was a place where Sam shined. As an uncle, he helped introduce his nieces and nephews to music, playing for them at gatherings, and sharing guitar and ukulele skills. Sam outfitted them with child-sized ukuleles so they could pluck their own strings as he played his skillfully. Sam also was the deliverer of many an outrageous Christmas present – hot air balloons and drones come to mind - always wrapped last minute amidst the general hubbub of Christmas day.
In his life, Sam knew pain, but he also was touched by joy, wonder and love, and held an immense capacity for lighthearted playfulness. His heart was a tender one that was protected by a rough personage built from the bumps and bruises of his life. He felt deeply, and cared kindly and generously for his extensive family, including his Nana, Uncle Ken and Dad during their last months and days.
Sam died by suicide in August 2023 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He is mourned by friends, neighbors and family. He leaves behind his mother, Johanna Watson Hamill, siblings Lila, Leanna, Christopher and Sarah Hamill, nieces Osa and Audrey Cabana, nephews Finn and Manny Cabana, sister-in-law Liz Thorstenson, brother-in-law Eugene Cabana, and former brother-in-law Jeremy Brown.
It is the heartfelt hope of Sam’s family that he is at peace, though suicide leaves no peace behind. If anyone is considering suicide as an answer please think of your family and friends, however distant, and call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Hotline) for help. There is hope.