Samantha Marie O'Gorman

FORTY FORT — Samantha Marie O'Gorman, 28, of Forty Fort, was called home to be with our Lord early Sunday morning, Oct. 28, 2018, after a lifelong battle with multiple illnesses.

Born May 27, 1990, Samantha beat the odds as she survived being born three months premature at Nesbitt Hospital, Kingston. She was born with non-communicating hydrocephalus as well as a chronic lung disease, which unfortunately would consume her life. She was quickly transported to the NICU at CMC, Scranton. After a month of care, she was transported to the Penn State Hershey Medical Center, where she would find herself spending the first seven and a half months of her life. Doctors said that she would never walk, talk or live a "normal" life … yet again, she beat the odds.

Samantha endured over 200 surgeries in her short time here on earth; a majority of which took place in her brain as well as her neck, back, heart and stomach. She also endured many complications over the years. Despite all of this, if you knew Samantha, you would know that she always had a smile on her face no matter what was going on.

Samantha attended the Wyoming Valley West School District and was a member of the 2009 graduating class. She looked forward to attending school every day. Her loving teachers made each and every day memorable. The school district, as well as the community, has helped us so much throughout the years and we are forever thankful for all of the love and support. Between the newspapers, TV newscasts, radio stations, local businesses, churches and emergency services … Samantha, as well as her story, will live on forever in the hearts of many.

While at home, Samantha loved listening to music, singing along to songs on the radio, playing games online and chatting with friends. She will always be remembered as the happy girl who loved her life and everyone in it, especially her loving family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her grandmother, Arline Anzalone; her grandfather, Harold Leon Bass Sr.; and her uncle, Chuck Kellar.

She leaves behind her loving mother and father, Sandra and Wendell Bass; her sisters who adored her, Suzanne and Jamie O'Gorman; nieces, Amy and Emma; grandfather, John Anzalone Sr., of Forty Fort; grandmother, Joanne Story; aunts and uncles: Deborah and Michael Eyrich, of Reading, Barbara Kellar, of North Carolina, and John and April Anzalone, of Ashley; cousins, John (LJ) and Jordan Anzalone; her best friend, Ryan Kucewicz; as well as many more friends and family including, but not limited to, those in Texas, North Carolina, New York and Kansas.

We would like to publicly thank the most caring and dedicated neurosurgeon, Dr. Mark S. Dias, who was so devoted to providing Samantha with the best care for the 18 years that he had her as a patient, as well as all of the staff who have become a family to us at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. We are forever thankful for everything that they have done for Samantha as well as our whole family for the past 28 years. You all have gone above and beyond to keep her happy, comfortable and gave her the chance to live as long as we were blessed to have her.

Friends may call from 4 until 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, at Hugh B. Hughes & Son Inc. Funeral Home, 1044 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in the Forty Fort United Methodist Church, 26 Yeager Ave., Forty Fort. The Rev. Michael Stine will officiate. Interment will follow at the Denison Cemetery, 85 Dennison St., Swoyersville.

In lieu of flowers, due to allergies, please see www.gofundme.com/funeral-expenses-samantha-ogorman to send the family an expression of sympathy/online condolences.

For more information or to send the family an online condolence, please visit the funeral home website at www.hughbhughes.com.