Laura's Essay About Rob

Right now you’re probably wondering, “Who is Robert Sams, really? What defines his very being? What would I say if I were on a game show, and to win one million dollars, I needed to describe the single most important fact about Robert Sams?” If you ask me, you only need to know one thing: He is the brother of me, Laura Sams.

Okay, so there is more to Robert than, well, me. There’s actually a lot more. I shall tell you from a sister’s viewpoint.

In 1980, Ronald and Diane Sams became the proud parents of a baby boy, and I officially became a big sister. Rob and I are the only two Sams siblings, and according to mom, that was plenty. We never really fought. I guess when we were toddlers, we would record ourselves talking to each other for hours on a little boombox, holding our own version of a radio show. You can imagine the hilarious jokes we told as three and five year olds. We received standing ovations among toddlers at the local playground (and sometimes sitting ovations, due to the varying levels of gross motor skills).

We grew up in a military family, moving around a lot. Rob went to two different high schools, one in Illinois and one in Virginia. He played the trombone in his Illinois high school band, but when he moved to Virginia, he took guitar lessons instead.

Suddenly Robert was writing and singing songs on his guitar. He also began to make educational videos and write music for school projects. I once helped him make a video about the 1970s for a history class, during which we interviewed a bass in his fish tank about the Watergate scandal.

Robert attended Michigan State University, where he received bachelor’s degrees in 1) Zoology and 2) Agricultural and Natural Resource Education and Communication Systems. Yes, that was a long degree name. While in college, Robert worked as a zookeeper at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. (If you meet Rob, you should ask him the stories about cleaning penguin exhibits and his ostrich encounters.) He also took up scuba diving in preparation for a study abroad trip to the Caribbean. Rob really has a passion for all nature, but especially the marine world. His eyes seem to shine a bit brighter when he’s thinking about the ocean.

Somewhere along the way, my little brother became a man – a true photographer, filmmaker and author. Don’t tell Robert I said this, but I believe he is extraordinarily talented. He has natural comic timing. His enthusiasm is infectious. He is genuine, humble and passionate. He also does a great llama impersonation.

So who is Robert Sams, really? I shall leave you with the warning that Robert wrote for Stranger in the Woods: The Movie. I think it applies to Robert himself. “Warning: Only to be viewed under the strict supervision of a child or someone else young at heart. Failure to do so may result in unexpected smiling, occasional laughter, and in some cases, extreme happiness.”