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I don't know anything about cars, but I did know a lot about my best friend. I was doing some late night Google Searches and I came across this forum. I found a series of threads, and this one in particular was touching to me:

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/46-members-rides/163039-7th-gen-member-passed-away-r-i-p-samari.html

I don't know if any of those members are still on this forum or not or if anyone even remembers my best friend Sam Tidwell aka "SAMARI" on this site.

Sam was my best friend since I was 5 years old. We were like brothers. He lived in Oil City, Louisiana and I was from Haughton, Louisiana. His dad got stationed in Germany and then Washington State before returning to Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana in 1997. Sam, his sister Mary, and his mom actually moved in with my family in 1997 until Summer 1998 when they got their own house. We spent just about every day until he went to boot camp together in Summer 2000. We were roomates at Louisiana Tech University from late 2000 until mid 2001. We worked as RA's in the dorms there until 2004 (we were both fired, lol). We were roommates (with his girlfriend Devie, RIP) in an apartment from Feb 2004 until the day he and Devie passed July 10, 2004 (his 22nd birthday).

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my best friend. It's been almost 7 years since I last saw him. I didn't speak at his funeral, not because I didn't want to, but because I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to get infront of the mic and cry and I admire those that did speak that day. I still talk to his sister Mary who has gone on and did well for herself, married with two awesome kids. I'm not doing too bad myself, married, two kids, business owner...

I'm not here to ramble. I just wanted to say to any of you that are still on the site that knew my best friend and to those that may read this that posted on the link above.... I wanted to say THANK YOU. As a grown man, husband and father, It bought tears to my eyes to see the love that was pouring out to a man that touched so many people in his short life time.

If you are reading this and you have no idea who I'm talking about, that's fine too. In summary, Sam and his girlfriend Devie (both 22) died when his Civic (sorry, don't know the model... I'm not a car guy ) stalled on a railroad track and his car was stuck by a moving train... he wasn't trying to beat the train, it just stalled.

It was his 22nd birthday. I never got to tell him Happy Birthday that day (I was heading to his house from Ruston, where we lived together)... I was about to leave when, an hour away, he went "home" to be with our Lord, Christ.

I know everyone on this site loves cars, probably like I love computers (that's my passion). I just wanted to tell everyone, its fine to love whatever makes you happy. Just make sure that you tell your friends, family, brothers/sisters (blood or not), spouses, kids, etc.... that you love them. We all will be gone one day and only God knows when that day is.

Thank you all for your kind words and for reading this post.

God Bless all of you and everyone keep the name SAMARI alive.

- Geoff Clark "AznBlusuazn"

 
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A tragic story to say the least. Sorry about the loss of your friend. I wasn't here at the time so I never knew him, but I feel I'd offer my condolences nonetheless.

 
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That's a touching story, I found it difficult to hold back the tears reading it and thinking of my own friend who lost her life far to young in similar ways.

Rest in Peace.

 
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Very hard to lose loves ones, r.i.p

 
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I couldn't agree more. I wasn't on the site when he was with you, but I'm sure he was a well-respected and enjoyable person. In my thoughts and prayers

 
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that was very touching

 
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He lives on in the internet forums, from the guys he helped or the posts replied and the friends he had outside the net.
Rest in Peace, sir.

 
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i know this was posted a few weeks ago, but i had joined here just a few days before he passed. I never got a chance to really know him, but did know he was a big part of the site. I learned enough from the OGs to know that he was much-liked and well-respected throughout this community.

RIP Sam