Registered charity number - 1207785
Sam's Legacy
Our Sam
Sam was just 35 when he died suddenly in February 2023. Although a short life in length of years, Sam made sure he lived. He travelled; he partied; he loved; he lost; he studied; he started businesses; and he started a family, becoming a daddy to three incredible children.
Sam experienced many things in his 35 years and had many passions and hobbies, some of which have helped to define him and create his legacy. Sam was an advocate for mental health and passionate about his community - he believed the two were intertwined and that a strong community impacted positively on mental health.
Sudden Sam has been founded and created in the loving memory of Samuel Mercer and has his values and ethos at heart.
Sam's Mural
A mural, painted in remembrance of Sam, on the side of his pub 'The Volunteer Canteen'. The mural, painted by his good friend Austin, symbolises Sam's passion for people and the community.
Sam's legacies
Family
Sam was passionate about strong family networks. Sam was always the first to organise family events and was always the life and soul of the party. Sam’s proudest achievement was his three children. Sam attempted to sum up his children on an Instagram post, posted on his youngest child's 7th birthday. The caption reads ‘It’s not 8am here and I am drinking coffee before heading to Jenny’s to do presents for the little one’s seventh birthday. He’s the very epitome of the term ‘loveable rogue’ – daft, hilarious, handsome, and charismatic, but also a bit of a weirdo. Jack is responsible for half of my grey hairs, with Joe - who is creative, kind and gentle – being responsible for the other. Alice is butter wouldn’t melt. I wouldn’t change them for the world’.
Sudden Sam aims to assist loved one's families in the aftermath of Sudden death.
Community
Sam loved his community. Sam used his pub, The Volunteer Canteen, as a community hub - a pub which, in Sam's own words, ‘means at least a little something to lot of people, but it means a lot to some people'.
Sam has been described as a Community Champion, and I truly can’t think of a better description of him. He constantly
strived to support small businesses, not just through his custom, but also by spreading the word and networking. He strived to create a strong community ethos - a community where people could support and look out for one another and look after each other's mental health.
Sudden Sam will promote unity within the community, just like Sam advocated.
Mental Health
Sam was passionate about promoting positive mental health in a community. In an article that Sam published in June 2020 titled ‘What Does Community Mean to You?’ he went on to state:
‘Community spaces and community psychology are necessary help for societal problems. It seems to me that providing people only with individual therapy implies that their problems are individual ones. If we create enough positive change within a community, we thereby create a benefit to individuals. Mental health is produced socially: the presence or absence of mental health is above all a social indicator and therefore requires social, as well as individual solutions.”
Sudden Sam aims to ensure that loved ones of those who die suddenly receive the emotional support that they need and deserve.
Read Sam's article by clicking on the link below
Sam's Auntie, Debbie
Whilst still grieving and trying to process the sudden death of our Sam, we unfortunately also lost our Auntie Debbie in November 2023. Debbie's death was also sudden. It reiterated the need for this charity and for the support it provides to the community.
Debbie was a wonderful person and lit up every room that she was in. She took on everyone else's problems and went out of her way to make the lives of other people better. She genuinely was a people person and family was everything to her. Debbie is a huge loss to our family and we miss her every single day.
Sudden Sam, through its charity work and services, will keep Debbie's legacy alive - Sam and Debbie are our two angels in the sky. They are our guiding light.
Rest easy, Debbie. X
