Sam & Dean

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    Dallas "Dean" Leachman-Ready
     
    Samantha "Sam" Stritmatter
     
    On Monday, January 24, 2005, Dallas "Dean" Leachman-Ready lost his life from a cancer he was diagnosed at the end of his sophomore year. Dean would have been a junior in the Athletic Training Sports Medicine Program.
    Dallas "Dean" Ready was a sophomore in the Sports Medicine Class when he was diagnosed with neurosacoma, a malignant neoplasm of the nerve tissue, fibrous tissue and connective tissue, but died of neurofibromatosis. He had been fighting this cancer since July 4th and been put under treatment while in the hospital. By the time doctors found the cancer, it was too late to remove because of how quickly it spread in his abdomen.
    Dean fought to stay home where he was surrounded by pictures, cards and posters that his friends gave to him to cheer him up. His parents put those up pictures, cards and posters in his room. The last couple of days he stayed at the hospital where he later passed away.
    Dean will always be deeply missed by his friends, family and the student trainers from his class.
    Samantha Stritmatter, 17, would have been a 2003 senior at Samuel Clemens High School where she was an Athletic Trainer for the Buffalo Football team and lead trainer for the boy's soccer teams. Sam participated in journalism and had been accepted to the newspaper and yearbook staff for her upcoming senior year, but she was best known for her involvement in athletics as a student trainer.
    Sam was our bright spot in the training room, always smiling and she had the biggest heart. "Sam's message was that she constantly tried to break stereotypes people had in each other. She wanted people to be themselves. She was the type of person who would say, I know my strengths and weaknesses and I love you for yours". People loved her because they knew they were always safe with her.
    Sam was struck and killed by pickup truck on evening of June 7, 2003 while walking with five close friends along a dirt road at a camp ground near 891 U.S. 281 and the Guadalupe River in Comal County at about 7:30 pm. The driver of the pickup was driving to fast and had alcohol and drugs in his system at the time of the wreck, he was later charged with manslaughter for the death of Samantha Stritmatter. Sam was know to her friends as "Safety Sam" for her habit of acting as designated driver at parties she attended. She loved taking care of other people.
    Sam had planned to study forensic science at Baylor University.
    "Sam" always said I'll always be there for you! While she is not with us physically she will always be with us in spirit and live on through each of us.
    On Wednesday March 31, 2004 a living tree was dedicated in the honor of a fallen Clemens student next to a bench to memorialize "Sam".
    The 2003 Varsity Football Season was dedicated to the honor of "Sam". Sam's #26 Athletic Trainers Jersey was retired and a special engraved memorial plate was placed on her athletic trainer locker in the field house. "SAM" has been in place on the fence outside the Buffalo stadium Football field in her honor.