Sami Strongbull Daniels

Sami Strongbull Daniels | Artist, Athlete, Pilot | Gallup, NM

It began with a story….I met some wonderful people in Gallup, and Teri happened to be a nurse at Little Sisters of the Poor, and told me stories of the amazing people she she gets to meet. One of the people was Sami, who Teri described as an amazing woman who has lived a life of passion. The moment I walked into her apartment, I knew I was about to experience someone special, and three hours later, there was no doubt.

The thing that strikes me about Sami, is when you speak to most 87 year olds, there are stories about the past….The long ago past. When Sami tells a story, you literally have no idea whether this is last year or 50 years ago she describing. She started living early, fleeing her foster home, faking her personal info, and getting a job for Ma Bell, and from there, it’s simply astounding….

Again, it’s hard to keep track of the order in which things happened, but let me just list off the things I remember:

She was the Civil Air Patrol pilot patrolling the coast for enemy subs and ships
stint as an Air Force crew chief from 1942-1947
She and a friend had a portrait booth in Disneyland for a bit
As a teenager, she won third place in a clothing design competition
She is a landscape painter
She makes jewelry
She plays the violin
She met and married the love her life…Seriously.
She returned to the Civil Air Patrol and remains an active member.
She was piloting her Stearman PT-17 as recent as the 90′s
At 60, she decided to participate in the Senior Olympics
She has since competed in 8 world games and numerous state and national.
There was the triathlon in 1998 at the age of 73

Seriously, it goes on and on. All I can say, is every senior living community needs a Sami around to kick butt, and remind everyone that life does not end with age. Live it….Keep living it. She is the prime example, that once you truly discover passion in life, it takes control, and can take you on a fantastic journey.