Those closest to Sammie Alwan would tell you she was much more than a firefighter.
“Sammie was pure joy,” her brother Eddie Alwan said. “She was radiant, free-spirited, the kindest soul, resilient, and above all, she was a devoted mother. She truly set the bar for how to live life authentically and generously.”
Samantha LaDale Alwan — known as Sammie to those close to her — died in a car accident the morning of Dec. 15 while she was commuting from Lubbock, where she lived, to her shift at Plainview Fire Department Station 2. A wrong-way driver on Interstate 27 slammed head-on into her Jeep, police said, causing a fiery crash that killed Alwan and the other driver.
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Family, friends and colleagues gathered Friday at Indiana Avenue Baptist Church in Lubbock to remember the 29-year-old before laying her to rest at Peaceful Gardens Memorial Park. The services included firefighter honors and an apparatus procession.
Alwan leaves behind two young daughters and was a dedicated dance mom, friends said.
“I imagine God creating Sam and throwing out all the other previous recipes in the trash. He really broke the mold when he created her. She was truly, markedly different,” said Jackie Bains, who befriended Alwan when their daughters started dancing together.
Born in Lubbock, Alwan grew up in Dumas. Her father a police chief and her mother a 911 dispatcher, she said she always felt drawn to life as a first responder.
“The fire side of first responders always intrigued me more — the trucks, the adrenaline, the bond you make with the public,” Alwan told the Plainview Herald in an October story.
Alwan, who also worked as a lab tech at Covenant Children’s, graduated from the Wolfforth Fire Academy in September 2023 and joined the Plainview Fire Department as a cadet shortly afterward. She was promoted to probationary firefighter in March and was working on her advanced EMT license.
As one of only two women in the Plainview Fire Department, Alwan knew she could face some challenges in a male-dominated field, but she met those challenges with grit and confidence.
“I remember having an instructor that told me, ‘Being a female you are going to have to be near perfect.’ And I took that to heart,” Alwan said in the Herald story. “I know there are times the guys will try to overstep me but I know I can put in just as much work as they do physically and mentally.”
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Plainview Fire Chief Bobby Gipson said Alwan made a marked impact on PFD and the Plainview community despite her short time with the department.
“From that very first day, she exemplified what it meant to serve with honor,” Gipson said. “She didn’t just extinguish fires; she ignited hope in those that she helped. She didn’t merely respond to emergencies; she brought calm amidst chaos and reassurance to the most vulnerable people in their most vulnerable moments.”
“She earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues. She faced each challenge, no matter how daunting, with their determination and grace,” Gipson continued. “Whether it was battling flames, treating patients, mentoring new recruits, or participating in community outreach programs, she approached every task with her whole heart.”
Like her family, Gipson said Alwan will be remembered for more than the 506 emergency calls she responded to in her brief career.
“Sammie was not defined solely by our uniform. As we’ve heard, she was a loving mother, sister, daughter and friend, someone whose laughter could brighten the darkest day. She had a way of making everyone around her feel seen and valued,” Gipson said. “Her kindness was boundless as her courage, and she had an uncanny ability to connect with people from all walks of life.
“As we remember Sammie, let us take inspiration from her example. Let us strive to be brave in the face of adversity, generous in spirit and committed to serving others.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Family, colleagues remember late Plainview firefighter Sammie Alwan