 and from downtown Honolulu from the studios of ThinkTekhava'i. Today we have the honor of hearing from one of the big islands man on a mission, mentoring people to never give up and to stop bullying. He's spreading awareness for muscular dystrophy, anti-bullying and drug abuse and awareness. What we would like you to take away from today's discussion is that we can all inspire, educate and encourage to never give up. Stay positive and to break the shame of whatever physical challenges you're facing. The man on a mission that I would like to introduce you to is Sammy Sampada, founder of OSMD which is Operation Sammy Muscular Dystrophy and he works with many awesome athletes. His motto is never give up and love strong and now I would love to introduce you to OSMD's man on a mission, Sammy Sampada. Welcome Sammy. Aloha, welcome. How are you? I'm so excited to meet you. I did see you I think once you were featured on Midweek. Yeah there was a story on you in one of the newspapers and I did see and I was following and I watched you and then I when my friend Jessica and Jax told me about you I'm like wow such an inspiration I gotta have him to share his story and to inspire others here in Hawaii. So welcome Sammy. Thank you. Okay so I know you do a lot of walks and how amazing is that because you have you have different set of legs but yet you use them to max out your message and to your purpose that God has for you. So on this first slide people will be now introduced to you. Just tell us a little bit about yourself Sammy. So I'm Darryl Sammy Sampada. I was born in 1972 with this disease called CMT muscular dysrophy and I never knew what I had to I got older and this was a this is a hereditary disease from my mom. Wow. So my two brothers and my sister only I have it but they're carriers so their kids can have it yeah. So when I got to like 8th grade I started to fall down. I love sports. I couldn't run fast anymore and then I went to physical to play baseball for high school and I couldn't play baseball because I couldn't pass my physical and I went through depression and I blame my mom why me why not my brothers or my sisters why me. Right. I'm 47 years old and I'm happy I have it because I can go out and bless others that are battling muscular dysrophy to love strong and to never give up. Wow. That itself is so empowering you know you took I don't want to call it a mess but you took your little mess as a child and you turn it and are turning it into your message and that is so powerful and that's the power of what you have and that's why you speak from your heart because you're there you were there and you know what it feels like to be there and so now you're using that gift to turn others around and show them that everything is possible and that all good things can come out of anything like what they say you can make lemonade with lemons and why don't we write. Yeah. Right. I got to like real depressed about it. So I worked for the state later and was forced retired and brought me right back to memories of my physical from the doctor losing my physical. So by losing my job brought me more depression. So I did a lot of walks I did breast cancer walks, regular cancer walk, all these AIDS walk and I said why don't we have nothing for muscular dysrophy. Right. So I'm a 19 year Shriners patient. So Shriners did all my surgeries on my legs and I don't have muscles on my legs. My legs is just like two toothpicks. Right. The muscle the nerve eat the muscle and when I don't have muscle I just don't have feelings and it gets more depressing. Right. I took I took drugs because of to make things feel better for me. But drug was just one temporary band-aid in my life. Exactly. Yeah. Wow. And I'm so blessed and I mean people around you who love you so much they must feel very blessed that you were able to figure that out. And then as I said it was a little mess and you turning and turning it into your message and now you're the voice and the heart for many who didn't have what you had to figure it out. And so I'm so excited and just to share your journey with everybody here watching because we must know others with the situation that you experience. But sometimes it's not as positive an outcome as you have. And and you know you what you do is you're giving back and you're giving back. And in this first picture your first slide. I mean I love that slide because it's of you and you're walking and with your sticks. Right. And that's pretty much. So you don't always need the sticks to walk or what is that for. So I use the sticks for balance because I don't have really good balance. And I walk maybe like 20 something miles a day when I do awareness walks. So I started that picture you see right there. That is Oahu. That is my sixth island I walked. So I walked Big Island, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Oahu. So I call it paddle and walk for dreams. So I always do a paddle on a canoe. Then I walk on the island and I continue to walk the perimeter of each island. And as I walk I spread awareness at schools, churches and drug rehabs. And I speak about drugs. I speak about anti-bullying and I speak about muscular dystrophy awareness. And if you take a block on my shirt, OSMD stands for Operation Sammy Muscular Dystrophy, Hawaii. Lock on muscle disease and pursue happiness. And my main focus is to never give up. Amen. And that's the whole key right there. Never give up and just work with love. And it's exactly what you're doing, you're sharing. And so on the next slide I see that I mean almost you would think you should be on the wheelchair but ironically you're pushing someone on a wheelchair. And is this just, is this another walk? Tell us about this walk. So that picture right there, that's me finishing my last four and a half miles of my 300 mile mark on the Big Island of Hawaii. And I had a lot of muscular dystrophy children came out and that girl I'm pushing, she's a cousin, Timberland, she's, she was battling cancer, liver cancer and breast cancer and she's just came out of treatment. So she's with a wig and real weak, but she wanted to walk with me and she couldn't. So I grabbed the wheelchair and pushed her. That's my four and a half miles of my 300 miles. Well, and you know, she's got the right person standing by her side because who could be more inspirational and guiding her in the right direction so that she wouldn't dip into, you know, a depression because you could already see the signs, I'm sure, and that you would be able to just love on her and, you know, just put to use what you promote through all the schools and everyone you come across. So wow, she's blessed to have you by your side. And as well, I know you're being blessed too, that you get to be mentoring her in the most positive way. So I'm excited for this. I'm excited for all the many more youth and adult that you're going to inspire. And you don't even know half of it, I'm sure, because just by hearing and watching you is what's going to, you're going to impact. All right. So I know you work a lot with the youth challenge. And that's a really big group. And some are, I would say, challenging. And that's why the title youth challenge, because just the two words mean the same, youth and challenge. So tell us about what you do with the youth challenge and the organizations you work with with them. So I love helping the youth challenge because I can see myself in them. I was once rascal. They all need, all they need is love. They're not pilao or bad children. They just make the wrong choices. And I see myself in that. So we have a class each every six months. And I've been with you challenge for seven years. I mentored children there and I helped them to make the right choices. And I put them to community work with my OSMD Hawaii Foundation, because I'm a nonprofit. So I bring them to help wash canoes, help people with their groceries, help wash cars, or anything to do in the community. I bring them along with me. And they get great it for being with me too. So I love helping the youth challenge. Wow. I mean, and the neat thing is you're not, you're not a staff, right? You're just a volunteer, a father, a friend of a male figure with a heart that will love them like no other. And when they see you, and I'm sure just by seeing you they're inspired that you're coming out. You're not having a pity party staying home and just watching TV all day because you could do that. But you choose not to. Because you're all your call to mission is to inspire as many as you can. And just by showing up, and Lord knows, you show up. And so I mean, I look at your pictures all your pictures and I get tired just looking at your pictures. And so I like, I know that you go to different a lot of different schools. So the next slide on that we have here is that you're at a school. Tell us about this assembly. So I go to the schools, I read that picture right there. That's in Kauai. So Kauai, the island doesn't connect yet. Yeah, where the island doesn't connect. I jumped on my canoe. I paddled 21 miles on my canoe. And then I walked 78 miles to 16 schools and two churches. And that school that I reached, there was small children and the teachers asked how are you going to communicate with them? How are you going to relate to you? How are you going to understand what you get to say? And I said, watch this, because God has a gift for me to show, share and love strong. So what I did was I sat down. So I lowered myself to their level. Yes. And I spoke like how you. Yeah, so I spoke love strong from bring myself back to memories when I was elementary. And I showed stories from when I was young and shared like, I'm their parents' agent to never give up from there. You start from there. And I'd speak about bullying to them. Because I can never, I don't forget my bullies that who bullied me till today. I pray for them and I love them. And wow, that is so valuable, you know, that you bring that up because I know the Department of Education, they have many different roles for their teachers of what they can discuss with their kids, the students and where they can go and how far they can go, they have certain boundaries. But being that you're not a part of the DOE, and that you are a kind volunteer, a man with a mission. I know that you can go a little bit beyond the boundaries and get into their hearts and really make an impact on them. And that's what our Kiki means the most. Someone that they can look to and be inspired and be mentored by. And that's you, you were chosen to do that, and that you met your call and that you are doing it. So congratulations to you, Sammy. I'm so, I'm so excited and just, yeah, in awe of what you do. So now you don't just, you don't just mentor the young ones. There's all ages that you mentor. You are in a gym with bigger kids. Yes. And I always answer taxes. So I hardly sleep like you. So I leave my phone on 24 seven, two, three o'clock in the morning, people text me. And my wife said, just let it go to the morning. I said, cannot. I need to answer this text, because tomorrow is never promised. So always answer the texts. I don't know if they went to on suicide thought or drug reaction. So if my text can help on scripture, I save the life. And that's my gift to answer every text. Wow. Wow. You know, we are very blessed because we have some audience or viewers that call in for a question that they may have. So this one of your wants to know, do you have an idea? What is the percentage of Hawaiians that have muscular dystrophy? Do you happen to know that number? I'm going to be honest with you. Ever since I started my OSMD Hawaii in 2014, more people came out. And that's why I use the word break the shame, because I was ashamed for four years before I started my foundation. I was bullied for four years. So now the numbers is coming up. So I don't have a percentage on that. But I see more people messaging me telling me, thank you, Sammy, can we meet up? Can I show you what my legs look like? Can I come out and help the community? Can I volunteer with you? So we're having a big handful. And my my goal this year, or this summer, this goes, I wanted to make muscular dystrophy and wheelchair games for these people. And we partner up with a with a other person. So why call him awesome at least because if you look at my logo real fast, OSMD, if you see it in a pigeon language, sound like awesome. But that's why I call them awesome at least because I have a daughter that is special. Two daughters that is special. And people used to call them retarded, handicapped, you stupid, you ugly, and it hurt it hurts me and it hurts my daughter. That's why I rather than be called awesome at least instead of all this boy name. Yeah. Okay, I mean, that's a great question and viewer. Um, he's you know, it's this is kind of a hidden disease, I would say. And you know, until Sammy comes out and shares with more, more people will be more confident and comfortable because he's just like them. And so that's where the you know, the doors are open. And then the numbers will start to grow and we can start doing more calculations. No different than when I sit on the board of American Diabetes Association. And truly, I didn't know the numbers. I didn't know too many people with diabetes 10 years ago. But now that you know, we're making it aware and bring more, more to the light. I mean, when I started, it was 154,000 diabetics 10 years ago, now we're registering over 600,000 diabetics here in the state of Hawaii. So Sammy, I hope your numbers don't grow to be even near those numbers that I'm exposed to. But it just hurts and and what you have to go through. So I just again congratulate you for taking the shame away from your message and turn it into that great message that you that you are working towards finding hope for them. That's, you know, another thing the viewer wanted to know is, is there a cure for what you are experiencing? So I glad you say that because I'm a 19 year Shriners patient. So every appointment I went to, my mom would ask all the different doctors, because there are there are volunteer traveling doctors. So all different doctors come to my appointments and my mom asks, does it have a cure for this? And you know what? Every doctor told my mom, the only cure for this is stop having children. If you have the disease, stop having children and it hurts me because I had two children with this disease and my children blamed me like how I blame my mom. Why me? Why me? So my number four girl, she battles with this every day. She fought on a lot. She blames me. She tried suicide in six times. But God didn't, I mean, she didn't leave because God have a plan for her just like me. Yeah. Wow. Sammy, thank you for sharing your intimate struggles with us as well. I know you're helping a lot of other families and I know we're going to have your number and your email address. And I'm just praying that we can reach more people that they feel comfortable and confident that you will be their friend and their heart, that you can guide them through it. That was your purpose and your mission. And so, wow, God has a great plan for you. So there's another question from the viewers and they wanted to know, has COVID affected people with muscular dystrophy? How has it affected you all? So it affected us because we couldn't do a lot of community things like putting them in the canoes, getting them to my OSMD games and volunteering. So it really hurt them because staying in the house, we need vitamin V, right? And my daughter battled with this. So I saw the depression get worse to her for her. I mean, so I know what she's going to, I know a lot is probably going to the same thing as my daughter being locked up. So I've been mentoring them on FaceTime like this on my phone just to inspire them, inspire, educate and encourage them to never give up. Okay. So the next slide we want to share, it's with you holding a bunch of stop bullying signs. So we segue into this. So you have a great approach and you're very visible in the community and families. And that's important so that the students can recognize you and feel very comfortable with you. And that's where you want them. That's when they can open up their hearts. So you start off with sign waving in the morning so the kids can see you, hey, that's the guy was outside. And then what do you do next? So what I do, I get up in the morning because I speak at hundreds of hundreds of students and hundreds of schools. I see depression. I see suicide. I see a suicide attempts. I see drugs, drugs all over the school. And I asked them why they tell me because the bullying, it's stressed, it's hard on them. And when they go to family, family can't help them. Yeah. So the uncle Sammy stays up to two, three o'clock in the morning and entering Texas because I care about them. But I tell them, yes, they tease you about your disease. They tease you about your hair, your family, poor. No matter what, there's two things I tell them, they can't take away from you. Is your tears and your smile, they can take away your car, your pride, your school books, your clothes, but they can't take you to take away a smile on your tears. Wow. And so I give them my number. That's so powerful, Sammy. And we all have to remember that. So I take the signs and I that's Jackson, few people with muscular children, kids that got bullied, that is graduated now. I go to the schools six o'clock soon as come daylight and a whole stop bullying signs. I hold it for the students, I hold it for the cars that passing and I hold it for the parents when they drop off the kids, because sometimes bullying starts at home. It starts at home and there's no attention to the children at home. They go to school and look for attention and bully other students. So I want the parents to see the stop bullying signs so they can realize it happens at home. You know, that's really powerful. I wish I could go along with you. My friend named Nick Boisec and he has no arms and no legs and he's gone to all the islands to do anti-bullying. And he had an exercise at the end of his talk and he would ask, he would ask all the kids to put their heads down and he would ask them, how many of you in the audience contemplated suicide? 35, 36 hands go up and these are little school kids. And then put your hand down, put your heads down. How many of you actually attempted suicide? All the hands go up. So the ones that were left there were the ones that didn't succeed. And then the craziest thing he asked Sammy, he then asked as he continued and concluded his talk, he said, are the ones that bullied in this assembly, will the bullies please stand up? And you know, at least 10 to 15 bullies stood up. Okay, and that's the key, right? I mean, part of the key because Nick invited them to come down to the court and gave them a hug and said, Jesus loves you, Jesus loves you, I love you, I love you. And you know, to turn because the bullies are hurting as well. And so we know the kids and yes, but those bullies, we got to help them too. So maybe half your program, you focus, I mean, one third, you focus on them because we can fix and help them. Maybe they leave our kids alone and know our kids too much because they can hear the problem. Yes. So we got to talk about that too, but that's the next talk, this is the next talk because we got to move on. So okay, I know your heart is really with the youth challenge and I just commend you for that again because again, you're an outside entity going in to help them and be a part of the program. So I know you invest a lot of your time with the youth challenge program, especially the youth on the big island. So just just share a little bit about some of the activities that you organize with them. So I put them in the water, like I said, with the canoes and I mentor them one-on-one. We do parades, we do sports, we do all kind of activities. And sometimes I do one-on-one with them and mentoring them. And majority of the kids was bullies or is bullies and I ask why and exactly what they told me because they no more attention. So they look for attention. Like the mom is not paying attention to them, just the sister. So they go to school and bully people. And majority of the kids not good in book works. So when the teacher asked him to read something, they get upset in class and start to make an habit. So all they need is their big two words, right, their love straw. And I love strong them and when they graduate, I see them in Walmart because they come from Kauai, Oahu, Maui. And when I travel to the islands, they come up to me and say, Uncle Sammy, how you doing? You remember me? And I don't remember them because I speak to a lot. Yes, a lot of children, but they're where they're from. And I just say I love you and I'm proud of you. Yeah, that's all you gotta do. Yeah. Yeah, wow, powerful. And then I know you also have the women, the young ladies, they, you bring them out and you put them on the va'a, which is the canoe. And I know that's the best place for teach the young because they can relate. They love being on the water. And then what, what do you teach them while they're going to your canoe? Oh, first of all, I tell them water is healing. Water is and 90% of our body is water. So what I do, I teach them on land first, how to hold a paddle. And I come up with my OSMD pledge and I say, repeat after me, respect, trust, honesty, integrity, love strong and never give up. And we hold the va'a, the canoe and we repeat after me. And we say that. And when they get in the water and they start to paddle and we, they start to learn and when they get out of the water, they tell me, thank you, Uncle Sammy. So I take from females to males. Not only males is Kalohi or Rasko people, females too. Yeah, yeah. Work in progress, work in progress. Yes. So I take all walks of life, all ages from two months. I get pictures from two months old. I take the babies. I love helping drug babies that because it's not the baby's fault yet. The parents do drugs and then the children have drugs in this system. It's not their fault. When they grow up, I still keep talking to them and mentoring them because it's not their fault. So I love teaching and they get graded, the schools like Kalohi, Alternative Learning Centers, they get graded for coming with me in the school. Wow. That's amazing. But I don't just speak vaha or how to paddle. I speak life to them first before we go to water. Yeah, and then the great life lesson on the vaha is that you have to work together. Yes, team working together as a team and getting from one point to the next point as a team. If somebody off, the ride is not so smooth. Right. Because it's not about strength or power. It's about timing, rhythm, timing and working together. Working together is one ohana. Yes, yes. So so significant. And then on the water, how could these kids not heal? You're putting them in the healing pond, the pool, the Pacific Ocean, with the sun, with Keoku above them and teaching them to work as a team, one family, one mission. So I got my own two vahs and I worked hard for it. I have one called Sonny Bradley Lightning and Tiger Force 5. If you had to match these two canoes with cars, would be on Ferrari and a Lamborghini. And people come up to me and say, Sammy, why not about the good canoes for these kids? I say, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. This children don't don't deserve nothing less than us. To me, they deserve more. So I got top of the line canoes and I worked for it. And it's not mine. It's my foundation one. It's for everyone, not just for special needs, awesome athletes, not for just challenging children, as for anyone that wants to try and don't want to join a club and want to go in the water. I give them and I give them love strong to get in the water. Wow, that's powerful. That's so powerful. Wow. So not just physical training. I know you give them mental training, share it along with the paddling being on the water. What are some of the challenges your youth are challenging with? Well, they're on the canoes. In the canoes, they're challenged with a lot of swearing too. They should swearing and thinking bad thoughts. And so I talked to them about life in the canoe too and keep them on the right track. And for me, I tell people I hear voice. I hear a voice. What to say to them? And I'm not crazy. I have five children. I have four girls, one boy. I wanted to share it with you. My oldest daughter is in heaven. She passed away. She passed away with this disease and she was blind and she has muscular dystrophy. My other girls is healthy. My number four girl battles with this. So when they enter a canoe with this with his children and I can hear my daughter in heaven talking to me that helped that boy, daddy go help that girl, give them love. And I'm not crazy, but that's what I hear in my head. I speak about that and my daughter was blind. Yeah. So I tell people this, we're going to this epidemic with with crisis and races. You know something? My daughter was blind. I tell people this, you can sense good or bad if you close your eyes. My daughter never knew I was Filipino. She never knew what color I was. She never knew what I looked like, but she could sense good people or bad people. So close your eyes when you reach out and help someone and just love them. So far. Oh, my goodness. I'm glad almost powerful. But anyway, so on this last slide, I see you are with two other men. Quickly just share with us. Who are these angels that walk? That is Maka'iu. He's from New Zealand. He's a Mori. The other guy is Kyola Mahi. He's from Hawaii from the big island. I took one Mori and one Hawaiian and they're like brothers to me. They're like my body guards. When I walk on the islands, they watch over me. So the cars don't hit me. So people or radical people don't bother me or homeless or anyone don't mess with me as I can concentrate on my walk and I can concentrate on my speeches at school so they can watch over me. They're not a body guard. They're going to hurt someone, but they just came here and give love strong. Yes. So he came from New Zealand and I walked North Island with him in New Zealand. Great awareness about Muscular District drugs and anti-bullying. Well, you're on some journey, Sammy, and you're not going to stop. I know that this is just the beginning. You've got a lot of angels that have come your way. But really quickly, we have a slide that will show people how to get in touch with you. They can call you directly 808-987-6111 and then go to your email and just email you directly. Say, Sonny, I have a daughter or have a son or have a neighbor. Can you reach out and help us? And I know your answer will be just love strong. So if you have Instagram guys, you guys can DM me because I'm always entering DMs right away. Like my secondary runs my Facebook. Amazing. Thank you so much, Sammy, for being here ever present with us and sharing your heart and your Aloha with all the islands as well as every island you can come across and just keep on walking and keep on loving and being strong. Now strong. Mahalo, Mahalo, Sammy, Aloha. Aloha. Thank you.