The Power of One Person

Throughout Covid I chased after places to swim and was overjoyed when, in April 2021, the LA Fitness not far from my home re-opened their outdoor pool.

Still navigating what it meant to be near other people, suddenly I was swimming every day beside strangers — carefully distanced, carefully cool.

And then along came Sam, slender, red-headed, a beautiful athlete and an extrovert. At first Sam's sunny disposition and friendliness made me wary. That wariness evaporated in the face of his bountiful kindness.

When he asked how I was, he wanted to know, and it wasn't just me he was asking. Sam made it his business to create a community of human beings who cared for each other during our daily, delicious ritual.

I swam at 6 or 7 a.m., Sam came with the 8 a.m. crowd, but soon he knew every one who swam at each morning hour. After a month or two, he dubbed us The Dawn Patrol, a varied crew who ranged from our teens to our 80s, filmmakers, doctors, artists, lawyers, therapists, writers, surfers, truck drivers, Councilwomen, lifeguards, realtors, teachers, Black, Japanese, White, Latino, Greek, Chinese, Korean, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, Conservative, Progressive, apolitical.

We were competitive or lazy, agile or slightly less skilled. Graciela was afraid of water — until Sam helped her overcome her fear and taught her to swim.

Soon after that, he was teaching others — how to swim or do flip turns, to increase speed or properly breathe, to do backstroke and butterfly. He brought us persimmons and cherries and homemade muffins. He bought flags and hung them overhead, across each end, so back strokers no longer smacked the walls.

When Sam discovered Graciela and I shared a birthday and his was one day earlier, he threw us a party at the pool — brought a boom box, coffee and Kombucha. He invited the Dawn Patrol and the Water Aerobics class and half a dozen swimmers I'd never seen.

That day I met Desi, a reality show contestant determined to return to Season Two of "The Challenge" a stronger swimmer, strong enough to carry her partner if need be. Sam transformed the way she felt about swimming, turning it from a task to something she loves. When Desi won Season Two, Sam texted us so we could all celebrate our friend. That's what he did — celebrated, rewarded, noticed and taught us to do the same.

Adi says at first, Sam was the only one who talked to her and Fernando, but he made them part of our family — one that expanded each week, because of Sam. He let no one feel left out. He bought us birthday cards and made sure everyone signed them. If we needed goggles, a kickboard, a cap, Sam always had an extra one to loan, or give.

If we had surgery, an accident, an illness, a broken heart, he stayed in touch and kept others up-to-date on our progress. When I lost my job, because of Sam, everyone came through with sympathy and cheer. When Rachel forgot to sign up for a swimming lane, Sam shared his with her. He did that for dozens of us.

Demetra says Sam's purity restored her faith in humanity. He asked for nothing other than the hope that we enjoy our time, the water, the sky, each other. Sam came along when so many of us had become too accustomed to looking out strictly for ourselves. He showed us how sweet life feels when we begin looking out for each other.

Sam became the conscience of our mornings at the pool. He set a tone of kindness and inclusion, and even efficiency. He put together a spreadsheet to show corporate headquarters that by extending pool hours on weekends they could enjoy a win-win. We were stunned when his gambit succeeded.

We'd just begun to acknowledge to each other how much Sam had changed our outlooks when, not long after Thanksgiving, he disappeared for several days. Ariana at the front desk who also loved Sam called his house. That is how we learned that Sam passed away in his sleep on Thanksgiving.

Sam's wife and daughters had heard of us when Sam had Dawn Patrol plaques made for each of us. And so the family let us know that the family would be having a memorial at their home in his honor — the next day. They invited the Dawn Patrol.

To the family's astonishment, nearly 50 of us showed up to express our sorrow, to mourn our loss, to share with his wife, daughters, granddaughter and friends how much Sam felt like family to us. We told them the ways Sam changed us, how much he gave us.

And now? We look for ways to keep Sam's spirit alive, to keep our pool not just a place for competition, exercise and fun but a place of comfort and generosity. A place where human kindness counts most of all.

It's a place where we know the difference one person can make in the world.