Christopher "Sammy" Samuelson

1964 - 2018

February 25, 1964 - August 5, 2018 49 days ago Sammy rode his final wave of awareness and positivity to shore. YA NOW!! Catastrophic head and bodily injury ended his surfing and severely limited his mobility in his 22nd year, but couldn't impede his will or spirit. Never an academic, he earned an MA in psychology and counseling. He embraced Vajrayana Buddhism and even made a pilgrimage to Bhutan, despite his severe physical limitations, reaching remote areas on horseback. His awareness and visceral fearlessness impacted everyone he encountered. His powerful mindset strongly impacted his counseling clients at CARE Counseling in Anaheim, who wrote over 100 testimonials tracing the evolution of their self-awareness and positive motivation to change in his 52-week court-ordered groups for Domestic Violence, Substance Abuse and Family Therapy. Clients entered these groups with bitter resentment; but so many left grateful for Sammy's liberating, transforming focus on the now, on their goals; not their past, not their failures. No formulas, here; clients watched, listened, and learned to share with as much candor as did Sammy about his own circumstances. Sammy intended their stories and his methods to be shared in a book he and his childhood friend, Kara Black (Foster), wrote together during his final months of care at home. Kara will publish their joint effort within a year. To be notified of his book's availability OR to share your experience in his counseling groups for inclusion in the book (no names will be used) email to sammyinprint@gmail.com. Legacy.com is available anytime for sharing this obituary and your memories in a public forum. Sammy was predeceased by his mother and father, C. Ransom and Catherine Betlach Samuelson; and brother, C. Ransom Samuelson II. He is survived by his sister Ann and brother Charles Leon, both of Long Beach CA. For this 49-day period Lopon Pelbar has conducted the traditional Buddhist ceremonies at Yeshe Khorlo Nyingma Buddhist Center of Los Angeles, at the direction of Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche of Bhutan.