In October of 2022, Sam Rushing was living his best and happiest life. He was crazy in love with Molly, his wife of six years, and he was the best of playmates to 2 1/2 year-old Ruby, whom he positively adored. He was healthy, active, and successful in his career. On October 31, one month after his 45th birthday, he was preparing to take Ruby trick-or-treating when he told Molly he felt jittery and thought he had drunk too much coffee. The family drove to a nearby urgent care center for Sam to be checked out, only to find it had closed two hours early so staff could be at home for Halloween! From the parking lot, Molly called for an ambulance. As Sam was talking with the EMS dispatcher, he unexpectedly collapsed and died of what we presume to have been a sudden cardiac death. He never complained of chest pain and he had not been sick. We were shocked, stunned, heartbroken...and to this day it’s still hard to believe. On September 28, 2024, the same day we should be celebrating Sam’s 47th birthday, I will participate in the American Heart Association‘s Tennessee Valley Heart Walk as captain of the FOR OUR SAM team. I invite you to walk with me, and/or donate, in memory of our Sam—an amazing son, brother, husband, and father. We love and miss him so very, very much!