Sam’s career in health care began in high school while working in housekeeping at KSB Hospital. “During my shifts, I saw different aspects of the medical field,” Sam recalls. “I loved the energy in the respiratory department and the excitement during codes.” Though he didn’t pursue respiratory therapy immediately, choosing to work instead, eight years later, Sam enrolled in respiratory school. “I’ve been doing RT ever since. It’s been a great career.”
One memory Sam treasures happened at SwedishAmerican Hospital when their NICU first opened. Their first critical patient was Patrick, a 22-week gestation baby. “Patrick was so tiny, the first section of my thumb was bigger than his foot,” Sam recalled. He spent months caring for Patrick, often singing and talking to him. Nurses noticed Patrick’s oxygen levels improved when Sam entered the room. Four years later, Sam received a call from the OB floor: Patrick was back. “I saw two little boys in the hall and called out, ‘Patrick.’ He ran into my arms like a long-lost friend. He was five then. I knew I was where God wanted me to be.”
When Sam reflected on how technology has changed through his career, he shared, “when I started, ventilators were primitive-the old MA1 with clear bellows. If you wanted a patient to breathe on their own, you had to assemble an H-valve with an anesthesia bag. Today, everything is touchscreen with multiple modes.”
He also noted that he values OSF’s faith-based mission. “It’s comforting to work in a place that shares my beliefs. The pictures of Christ remind me He is always with us and that someday, those who know Him will live in Heaven.”
As he draws closer to retirement on December 16, he has no plans to slow down. Sam plans to remodel his home, take fishing trips, enjoy a family cruise to Italy, Greece, and Turkey, and spend time camping and hunting with loved ones.