Sweet sweet Sam
Warrior Sam
I was green as a blade of grass
New cop
Rook
Puppy
Wide eyed and wondering at the darkest corners of the night when I met
Sergeant Sam
He was such the mentor
Teaching the cop way
The right way
The warrior way
We flew the night and conquered evil with our hearts out and minds open
Sweet sweet Sam
Entering the Cambodian Donut Shop at 4 o’clock in the morning and hearing the owner rush out
Sergeant Sam Sergeant Sam
And drinks in the dusty morning after cleaning blood and grime and tears from our worn armor and discussing life
He was the marrying kind
Married Kim and then Debbie and then Cindy and then Amy
And I’m sure he was questing for another when he slipped like sand in an hourglass away from here
And I can’t help but picture him
Resplendent in uniform or plain clothes or even at his last wedding with a crown of leaves adorning his head
With that same smile just ready to break over the horizon of his lips and light his face at any given moment in time
Sweet sweet Sam
21 years as guardian of the city
Keeper of the lights
Defender of good and
Vanquisher of Evil

Doing it right
Doing it kind
Compassion for others stacked up in his heart like 10 million ingots of gold
Reaching he was always reaching and
Searching for Love
He found it in his children always
Ryan and Casey and Ashley and Garrett and Megan too
When he spoke of them I always saw joy reflected reflected reflecting in his eyes
Sam Sweet sweet Sam
I feel your kindness washing over here and now a Tsunami of goodness picking me up lifting me up Carrying me forward past this moment past the pain of your passing past the space once solid but now Ethereal you occupy and my tears burn and sting but I am glad to have known you I rejoice in your helping to shape my mind my heart my soul and my life
As you have so many others
Sweet Sweet Sam
I know you dreamed of being a fighter pilot
Soaring on the clouds above in liquid air
High high above the earth
Where the bluest blue meets the stars and kisses them briefly
Spinning and dancing and cartwheeling past and
Glimpsing Heavens Gate just swinging wide open for you
And calling you home
Time to go and give your love everlasting
As a Warrior in the sky
Warrior Angel
Warrior Father
Warrior Husband and
Warrior King but mostly and always
Sweet sweet Sam
A cop and friend I will never forget.

for Sam Hilliard and Family February 5, 2002 by Harry R. Fagel

Authors Note: Sam Hilliard was a Sergeant with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police department. He passed away suddenly one morning, much to the horror of so many who loved him. This was one of the first tributes I was asked to write for a fallen friend.