I don't have much to say about Sam that hasn't already been said. Since his passing last weekend, it seems that everyone has come out to speak on what an amazing person and human being he was, as they should. However, if Sam were still here I know for certain that he would be one of the first to say that we should not only honor someone to this degree only when they pass, but also while they are with us here on Earth. These are the moments in life when we truly think to speak about how special someone actually is in our lives. We shouldn't waste the opportunities that we have every day to express our admiration for our friends and family. We should show that appreciation every chance we get, because you never know when God will call you home.
I did not get a chance to know Sam extremely well, but I was fortunate enough to run into him a lot around campus here at UNL. He was always one of my favorite individuals to run across because no matter what he was doing, he would always pause and give me a minute of his time. Our conversations were simple, asking how it's been going and if anything is new with football or life, nothing out of the ordinary of a normal acquaintance meeting. He would always finish with "Punters are People too!" But to me, it's the time that he took out, the time that anyone, not only a Husker football star takes out of their day to pause and ask how your life is going along with their own. People get too caught up in titles, work, business, school, sports, and everything else that we're expected to check off of our lists, they forget how important it is to have a conversation and pause for a minute or two. Sam knew how precious those pause-able moments were, and although nobody ever thinks to mention how important they are, he showed it by taking that time to talk. Everyone will talk about his football status and how incredible of a punter he was and was still going to be in the road ahead. But as someone from the outside of the football program, he was more than just an awesome punter. He was a student here, and he was a leader around campus because of his character and the example he set. Sam came and spoke at an event for Scarlet Guard this past January, which is an organization that I'm heavily involved in. He was part of the student panel and talked about the value of working hard and time management, both in and outside of the class room. He was never a huge figure walking around, but everyone still knew who he was. I appreciated Sam because of that example he set. In my mind, he truly was the epitome of a Husker. Not just a Husker football player, but a Husker. You could not have written his story any better, a walk-on from a small town in Nebraska, became one of the best punters in the nation while earning Honor Roll grades four times. But his character and the message that he sent to others is why we should remember him. Not just because he was our punter, but because he was truly a great person and a great Husker. Let Sam's passing motivate you to be the best version of yourself, because that's the only version of Sam I ever saw. That's who we all saw. Don't let the opportunities to show your appreciation for someone be wasted because you thought you could tell them later. You can change someone's whole day with a simple compliment. Sam knew that and he embodied that both on and off the field. I am deeply saddened by his passing, but I am excited to honor him and let others know how great of a person he was. #RIP27
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
