Friends of Little Sammy Thistle

[UncleJimbo 0]

I'm looking for folks who knew Sammy so I can let you see a couple of stories with pics I posted about him and also to see who else might have pics 'cuz I can host them.

I knew him from the day he earned his Green Beret and he was working for me the day he died. I miss the bastard and wanted to share some of the Blue Sky times

Skydiving 101- Violators mount up

&

V's first skydive

I thank anyone who helps out and I will post here once I ger a page up with pics.

Cordially,

Uncle J

[Rebecca 0]

What a cool story!!

I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend. How did he pass away, if I may ask?

you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk?

[ScubaSteve 0]

wow. uncle jimbo. small world. I read your blog occasionally.

[UncleJimbo 0]

Thanks for the sentiment,

Alll I'll say is it wasn't skydiving.

Cordially,

Uncle J

[JohnMitchell 16]

Thanks for that stuff on Sammy. I worked and played with Sammy back when he was at Kapowsin years back. He was a kind soul that always made his own rules, whatever he did. He was funny as hell, too. My wife and I miss him.

[photofly 0]

I go back with Sammy from the California day's and have a lot of of tandem wideo and may have some 35mm shots of him to. I am out of town for 3-4 weeks and will look for stuff when I get back home. We have a lot of history. I was a camera dude and would film him a lot. It was a shock when we lost him. I look forward to jumping soon!!!! has benn just over 1 year because I was in a major auto accident and am lucky to be here. Sammy said it was to soon for me to come visit

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[UncleJimbo 0]

Way cool for the replies.

I will collect and post whatever I get.

Thanks again,

Uncle J

[UncleJimbo 0]

Kapowsin was my first freefall on the illegal jump Sammy and I made. Cool Breeze.

Cordially,

Uncle J

[TalbertGK4 0]

The two year anniversary of LSTs death is coming up this summer. I think about that dumbass everyday. I miss laughing with him, at him and because of him. I dont have any cool pictures of Sammy that I can show. Hell I dont even have any stories I can tell. Not openly. I can say that I miss you bro'! Along with being one of the most loyal friends I will ever have, ole Sammy could cook! Damn that guy could cook!

Is that Sammy Thistle in the house?! My ni%$a, get your ass over here!

I miss you Sam.

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

You said it, Chris! I am just glad that we made it to the funeral.

"Does THIS bother you?!"

Chuck

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

Hey Uncle Jimbo:

Just read this post and had to add ...

Sammy was one fun dude. We had some very fun times together and I will never forget that "dumbass" as others have referred to him. Even though he was a dumbass though he was someone who really influenced me, inside and outside of this sport.

Sammy and I spent every day together and lived together for a few months when he was in California. We both worked full time at Monterey Bay together too so I definitely got my share of "Sammy Time". He got me recurrent after a 3 year break from jumping. We were both crazy together and had so much fun. At the same time he was just a "poor little boy", he was also and "old asshole".

I still remember how he thought I was crazy for eating my cold spaghetti in the morning for breakfast, while his daily breakfast consisted of iced oatmeal cookies and Mountain Dew. That was all Sammy needed was more Mountain Dew. I used to tell him that we needed to get him on a Mountain Dew commercial and a sponsorship with all the Dew that guy drank.

He always had the funniest stories about being a green beret, too. I remember this one that still sticks in my mind about a guy he commanded in the Army. One day they were out in the middle of some Cambodian jungle and this not so bright guy asks Sammy: "Searge ... when a compass points Norf, How do it know?" I can still hear Sammy telling the story.

I remember the fun times we had in Frisco hanging out with Glenn and Johnny Luv and all the cool things we did in addition to all the cool things Sammy taught me in skydiving when I was just a newbie. On my 22nd jump he got someone to shoot video and planned out a spectacular 8 way at sunset over Hollister. I have quite a bit of video of us skydiving together on my earlier jumps and also have some tapes he left behind at my house: some of his favorite music and some VHS of him in the tunnel at Fort Bragg when he trained with the Knights.

I remember when he had a pilot chute in tow and the dumbass tried to yank his bridle out at 1800 feet and missed, rolled over and got it out at about 700 feet. I also remember watching his first head down and him commenting on how he looked like a "monkey fucking a football".

He was one hell of a skydiver (the best skydiver he knew) as he put it and quite "insane in the membrane" too.

Those who knew Sammy knew how special he was even though he at times was a dumbass. He is definitely missed and I for one was very sad to learn that he had passed on.

Blue skies Sammy.

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[mrslowry 0]

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds,--and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, nor eer eagle flew--
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high, untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Rest in Peace Sammy,
D

[jumpwally 0]

What happened to him?

smile, be nice, enjoy life
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