When Sam London was determined to do something, there was no stopping him.
Stories shared during London’s funeral Monday in Lawrencetown paid tribute to a quiet, always-smiling man who was determined to be the best husband, dad, brother, firefighter and friend that he possibly could be.
“Sam was deeply loved and admired,” said Joe Triff, a friend of London’s since they shared early school and sports activities before becoming fellow Halifax firefighters who worked opposite shifts but maintained a close relationship.
“He loved sports and was a great athlete. Whether it was a loose ball in basketball, a foul ball in baseball or a shanked ball in volleyball, it was wise to stay out of his way because he wasn’t going to give up on the play.”
Triff said when there was work to be done, “you bet Sam was doing it.”
London, 37, died in a family swimming accident last Tuesday at Drysdale Falls in Colchester County. He drowned after slipping under a pool of water at the top of the falls, which is near Tatamagouche. A family member tried to rescue London but couldn’t, RCMP reported. Two other family members were rescued by the Bible Hill special hazards response unit, which later located London’s body.
Mike Smith, London’s brother-in-law, told a crowd of more than 300, including more than 150 firefighters from all over the province, who pushed into a sweltering Good Shepherd Church that London’s sense of serving others never wavered.
“Sam took pride in everything he did,” Smith said. “Sam was a textbook firefighter for 15 years. It has been an honour to have Sam as my brother.
“I want everybody here to hold him in your hearts … it just doesn’t get any better than Sam. I want everyone here to carry on Sam’s legacy because that is what Sam would want.”
London’s legacy, recounted his three sisters, was one of a kind, gentle and caring person. His sisters — Theresa Aften, Hayley Breaugh and Jane Duffy — joked that as the youngest of the four siblings, London was forced to play with Barbies and other girl games while they were growing up in Cole Harbour. But he took it in stride.
The sisters remembered him as funny, dishing one-liners that left others wondering how he came up with something like that so quickly. His sisters said they would tease him and call him a nerd, but London good-naturedly embraced the nerd label and even wore his nerd T-shirt proudly.
A man of few words, London’s priorities quickly became his wife Tracy, his first and only girlfriend, and their three children, twins Joseph and Nicholas and daughter Gabrielle.
The young family lived in Three Fathom Harbour, where London would spend hours watching and helping the children practise skills over and over again until they mastered them. If Tracy suggested something that ought to be done, her husband would take the cue immediately and take care of it, the siblings recounted.
Pastor Gary Boyd said London embodied love.
“We believe that Sam was a man after God’s own heart,” Boyd said. “That’s pretty high praise.
“Sam leaves behind a great legacy, the way he lived his life and how he loved his family. He leaves behind a living testimony of his love for God and how to share that love with others.”
Boyd said London prepared his own heavenly reward in the way he lived his life.
“Love is the greatest gift of all and Sam knew that and he shared his love with all he met.”
The service, which featured London’s nephew Luc Breaugh playing the violin solo It is Well With My Soul, ended with Halifax fire chief Ken Steubing presenting London’s fire uniform cap to Tracy and the children.
The casket was then carried out to the back of a waiting Halifax fire truck that has been retrofitted for funeral services and was driven away.
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